CONSERVING WETLANDS FOR THE FUTURE

THE CONTEXT: India’s wetlands are facing severe threats, with nearly 40% lost in the last 30 years due to urbanization, pollution, and habitat destruction. The country has 3.23 million wetlands covering 15.98 million hectares (4.86% of its area), but conservation efforts are limited, with only 150-200 water bodies protected and 75 designated as Ramsar sites.

DEFINITION AND CHARACTERISTICS:

Scientific Definition:

• • Wetlands are transitional ecosystems between terrestrial and aquatic systems, characterized by hydric soils, hydrophytic vegetation, and saturation conditions (either permanent or seasonal).
  • Key Feature: “Ecological Productivity”—Wetlands are 10–15x more productive than oceans, as per the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

 

Global Coverage:

• • Cover ~6% of Earth’s land surface but store ~20–30% of terrestrial carbon (Ramsar Convention, 2023).
  • India-Specific: 4.7% of India’s geographic area (1.34 million ha) designated as Ramsar Sites (MoEFCC, 2024).

TYPES OF WETLANDS

A. Natural Wetlands:

1. Coastal Wetlands:

• • Mangroves: Sundarbans (India’s largest, 4,200 sq. km; UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Bhitarkanika (Odisha).
  • Lagoons: Chilika Lake (Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon; Ramsar Site).

 

2. Inland Wetlands:

• • Floodplains: Brahmaputra floodplains (critical for rice cultivation and flood mitigation).
  • Peatlands: Himalayan peatlands (store 30% of India’s soil carbon; under threat from tourism).

 

B. Human-Made Wetlands:

• • Yeris (Tamil Nadu): Ancient tank systems supporting 70% of South India’s agrarian needs.
  • Bhitavada (Rajasthan): Community-managed reservoirs mitigating drought in Thar Desert.

Emerging Category: Urban Wetlands (e.g., Delhi’s Najafgarh Jheel, Bengaluru’s Bellandur Lake) facing encroachment and pollution.

ECOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF WETLANDS

A. Habitat for Diverse Species

• • Biodiversity Hotspots:
    • Wetlands host 40% of global species (IPBES, 2023), despite covering only 6% of Earth’s land.
    • India: Sundarbans mangroves shelter Royal Bengal tigers, saltwater crocodiles, and Ganges River dolphins; Loktak Lake (Manipur) is the last refuge of the endangered Sangai deer.
  • Avian Sanctuaries:
    • Ramsar Sites: Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) hosts 375+ bird species, including Siberian cranes.
    • Case Study: Chilika Lake (Asia’s largest lagoon) supports 1.2 million migratory birds annually (Odisha Wildlife Organization, 2023).

 

B. Natural Water Filters

• • Pollutant Mitigation:
    • Wetlands remove 70-90% of nitrogen and 20-60% of heavy metals from water (UNEP, 2023).
    • Case Study: East Kolkata Wetlands treat 750 million liters/day of sewage through phytoremediation, saving ₹50 crore/year in treatment costs.
  • Eutrophication Control:
    • Dal Lake (J&K): Excessive phosphorus from agriculture caused algal blooms; restoration via bio-manipulation (introducing grass carp) reversed degradation.

 

C. Climate Change Mitigation

• • Carbon Sequestration:
    • Peatlands store 550 gigatons of CO₂ (30% of global soil carbon) but cover only 3% of land (IPCC, 2023).
    • India’s Himalayan Peatlands: Store 30% of India’s soil carbon but face threats from tourism (WII, 2023).
  • Blue Carbon Ecosystems:
    • Mangroves sequester 4x more CO₂ than rainforests; Sundarbans offset 1.5% of India’s annual emissions (IUCN, 2023).

 

D. Flood Regulation & Coastal Erosion Prevention

• • Sponge Effect:
    • Assam’s Deepor Beel absorbs 40% of Brahmaputra’s monsoon overflow, preventing Guwahati floods.
    • Global Example: Mississippi River Basin (USA) saved $62 billion in flood damage through wetland restoration (WWF, 2022).
  • Coastal Buffers:
    • Mangroves reduce wave energy by 66%, saving ₹15,000 crore/year in disaster costs (Odisha Disaster Management).

 

E. Groundwater Recharge

• • Aquifer Revival:
    • Tamil Nadu’s Eri System: 39,000 tanks recharge groundwater, supporting 70% of the state’s agriculture.
    • Rajasthan’s Johads: Traditional rainwater harvesting structures revived 1,000 dried-up wells in Alwar district.

 

2. Socio-Economic Benefits of Wetlands

A. Water Supply

• • Urban Resilience:
    • Bengaluru’s Bellandur Lake once supplied 40% of the city’s water; pollution reduced capacity by 70% (IISC Study, 2023).
    • Singapore’s NEWater: Recycled wastewater from wetlands meets 40% of the nation’s demand.

 

B. Fisheries

• • Livelihoods:
    • Vembanad Lake (Kerala): 10,000+ fishermen depend on karimeen (pearl spot fish); ₹500 crore/year industry.
    • Global Linkage: 70% of global fish stocks rely on wetlands (FAO, 2023).

 

C. Agriculture

• • Productivity:
    • Kuttanad (Kerala): Below-sea-level farming in wetlands produces 600,000 tonnes/year of rice.
    • Threat: Sodic Soil Formation in Punjab’s Harike Wetland reduced yields by 20% (PAU, 2023).

 

D. Energy Resources

• • Bioenergy:
    • Phumdi Biomass in Loktak Lake (Manipur) generates 5 MW of electricity.
    • Mangrove Wood: Used as fuel by 30 million people globally (World Bank, 2023).

 

E. Transportation

• • Inland Waterways:
    • Kerala’s Backwaters: 900 km network supports eco-tourism and cargo transport (₹1,200 crore/year revenue).
    • Amazon Wetlands: 20,000 km of navigable rivers drive regional trade.

 

F. Tourism & Recreation

• • Ecotourism:
    • Sundarbans Tourism earns ₹300 crore/year; Chilika Lake attracts 5 lakh tourists annually.
    • Global Model: Everglades National Park (USA) generates $200 million/year.

DISTRIBUTION AND STATISTICS

CATEGORY	DATA
Total Wetlands	3.58 million (2.49 million ≥ 0.1 ha, 1.09 million < 0.1 ha)
Inland Wetlands	23,444
Coastal Wetlands	3,959
Total Wetland Area	16.89 million hectares (5.12% of India’s geographic area)
Paddy Cultivation	Approximately 70% of wetland area

KEY WETLAND AREAS

STATE/REGION	NOTABLE WETLANDS	CHARACTERISTICS
West Bengal	Sundarbans	World’s largest contiguous mangrove forest, UNESCO World Heritage Site
Andaman & Nicobar Islands	Coral Reefs	54,770 ha of coral reefs
Gujarat	Intertidal Mudflats	2,142,215 ha
Odisha	Chilika Lake	Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon
Tamil Nadu	Gulf of Mannar	Marine Biosphere Reserve

CONSERVATION STATUS

CATEGORY	DATA
Ramsar Sites	89 (as of February 2025)
Area under Ramsar Sites	Over 1.34 million hectares
State with Most Ramsar Sites	Tamil Nadu
Wetlands Identified for Priority Conservation	93

CONSERVATION INITIATIVES

INITIATIVE	DESCRIPTION
Amrit Dharohar	Special scheme for protecting vital wetlands
Mission Sahbhagita	Participatory conservation approach
Save Wetlands Campaign	Launched on World Wetlands Day 2023
National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA)	Centrally sponsored scheme for wetland conservation

THREATS TO WETLANDS

A. Global and National Loss Trends

Parameter	Data	Source
Global Wetland Loss	35% since 1970; 87% lost since 1700 (IPBES, 2023)	Ramsar Convention
India’s Annual Loss Rate	2–3% (4,000–6,000 ha/year); 50% wetlands lost post-Independence	WII Report, 2023
Gangetic Floodplains	70–80% freshwater marshes lost (1950–2020)	National Wetland Atlas
Mangroves	Reduced from 700,000 ha (1987) to 4,975 sq. km (2023)	FSI, 2023

B. Emerging Threats

• • Microplastic Pollution: 12,000 particles/kg sediment in Vembanad Lake (CUSAT Study, 2023).
  • Invasive Species: Water hyacinth covers 40% of Loktak Lake (Manipur), reducing fish yield by 30%.

CAUSES OF WETLAND LOSS

DIRECT DRIVERS

Cause	Examples	Impact
Agricultural Drainage	Punjab’s Harike Wetland: 60% converted to paddy; 20% sodic soil formation	Loss of 50+ bird species
Urban Expansion	Mumbai: 71% wetlands lost (2000–2023); Chennai’s Pallikaranai Marsh shrunk 90%	Increased flooding (2015 Chennai deluge)
Industrial Pollution	Gujarat’s Narmada Estuary: Effluents from Alang Shipyard killed mangroves	80% decline in fish catch (2023)

INDIRECT DRIVERS

• • Policy Failures: Only 20% of Wetland Rules, 2017 enforced (CPCB, 2023).
  • Climate Change: Sundarbans lost 5.5% mangroves (2000–2020) due to rising sea levels.

THE WAY FORWARD:

• • Wetland Mitigation Banking with Legal Backing: Wetland mitigation banking is an innovative approach that allows industries to offset ecological damage by funding wetland restoration projects. This concept, modeled on the USA’s Clean Water Act Section 404, has the potential to generate significant funds for conservation while addressing industrial pollution and encroachment. Landmark case laws such as Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum vs. Union of India (1996) have established the “polluter pays” principle, providing legal precedent for such a system.
  • Blue Bonds and Green Budgeting: The issuance of sovereign blue bonds to fund wetland projects, coupled with allocating 2% of GDP for wetland-linked Sustainable Development Goals, presents a powerful financial tool for wetland conservation. This approach mobilizes capital and addresses funding gaps in the implementation of the Wetland Rules, 2017. The success of Seychelles’ $15 million blue bond, which restored 4,000 hectares of mangroves, serves as an inspiring case study. NITI Aayog’s 2024 proposal for green budgeting aligns with SDG 6 (Clean Water), further emphasizing the importance of this approach.
  • AI-Driven Decentralized Governance: The integration of artificial intelligence, drones, and blockchain technology for community-led wetland management represents a cutting-edge approach to conservation. This system enhances monitoring capabilities while addressing jurisdictional overlaps that often hinder effective wetland management. Successful case studies include Kerala’s Padasekhara Samitis, where farmer collectives manage the Kuttanad wetlands, and ISRO’s Bhuvan Portal, which tracks 85 Ramsar Sites in real-time.
  • Urban Wetland Parks as Climate Infrastructure: The concept of converting degraded urban wetlands into green hubs, exemplified by Hyderabad’s Neknampur Lake, offers a powerful solution to urban environmental challenges. This approach not only reduces urban heat islands but also counters encroachment on wetland areas. China’s Sponge Cities program, with a $12 billion investment that reduced urban flooding by 60%, serves as a global model for this approach. In India, the Supreme Court’s 2018 Sukhna Lake order, which banned construction within 1 km of the lake, provides legal precedent for protecting urban wetlands.
  • Tribal Partnerships and Traditional Knowledge: Integrating indigenous practices, such as the Apatani tribes’ wetland farming techniques in Arunachal Pradesh, into wetland conservation strategies offers a holistic approach to ecosystem management. Meghalaya’s Dongs, where Khasi tribes’ traditional water systems prevent erosion, and the Ramsar Convention’s “Wetland City Accreditation” program, which has recognized Bhitarkanika’s tribal-led conservation efforts. The importance of incorporating tribal knowledge in environmental governance was emphasized by the Xaxa Committee in 2014, underscoring the need for a more inclusive approach to wetland management.
  • Wetland GDP and National Accounting: Quantifying the economic value of wetlands in national GDP calculations, inspired by models like Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness, could revolutionize how we perceive and manage these ecosystems. The UK’s Natural Capital Accounting system, which values wetlands at £1.3 billion per year, provides a global model for this approach. In India, examples of wetland economic value include Loktak Lake, which generates ₹5 crore annually from eco-tourism, and the East Kolkata Wetlands, which save ₹50 crore yearly in sewage treatment costs. NITI Aayog’s 2023 assessment suggests that incorporating wetland GDP could add 0.5% to India’s overall GDP.

THE CONCLUSION:

India must champion a socio-ecological contract that integrates wetlands into its development DNA, leveraging initiatives like Amrit Dharohar and MISHTI to transform these ecosystems into engines of climate resilience, intergenerational justice, and inclusive GDP growth, setting a global benchmark in Green Federalism aligned with planetary boundaries. By marrying tribal wisdom with AI-driven governance and blue bonds, India can forge a future where wetlands are not merely preserved but revered as living legacies of ecological democracy and shared prosperity.

UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTION:

Q. Comment on the National Wetland Conservation Programme initiated by the Government of India and name a few India’s wetlands of international importance included in the Ramsar Sites.

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:

Q. Critically examine the role of urban wetlands in building climate-resilient cities in India. Discuss the challenges in their conservation and suggest innovative measures to integrate wetland management into urban planning.

SOURCE:

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/conserving-wetlands-for-the-future/article69158893.ece#:~:text=Providing%20habitats%20for%20a%20wide,us%20to%20be%20conserving%20wetlands!&text=Wetlands%20are%20regions%20of%20land%20that%20are%20generally%20saturated%20with%20water.

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