Context: On the eve of Independence Day in 2024, three wetlands from India has been added in the list of Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. The addition of the Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary, Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary and Tawa Reservoir in the list of Ramsar sites will take total number of Ramsar Sites from India to 85 covering an area of 1358069 hectares.
Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu
- It is a large shallow freshwater lake situated in the Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu.
- The wetland is dependent on weather conditions, is especially fed by heavy rain water flow from Nallar drainage.
- The lake is named after King Nanjarayan, who repaired and restored it when he ruled over the region many centuries ago.
- Important water source for agricultural purpose in the region and ground water recharge.
- Important species: Many species of birds, butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and plants have been recorded in and around the lake. Also acts as feeding ground for migratory birds like Bar headed goose, Northern Shoveler, Spot billed Pelican etc.
- 17th bird sanctuary in the Tamil Nadu.
Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu
- It is brackish water shallow lake located on the Coromandel Coast in Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu, North of Pondicherry.
- Connected to the Bay of Bengal by the brackish Uppukalli creek and Edayanthittu estuary.
- This lake can be divided into three broad regions - (i) Estuarine part with brackish water (ii) Uppukali creek feeding the sea water (iii) Kazhuveli basin with freshwater.
- One of the largest wetlands in the peninsular India with an area of 5151 hectares.
- Major role in recharge of groundwater aquifers.
- Important species: Kazhuveli wetland is rich in biodiversity. It lies on the Central Asian Flyway and serves as an important stopover site for migratory birds and breeding grounds for resident species of birds, fishes. Ex. Eurasian Coot, Painted Stork, Greater Flamingo, Black-headed Ibis.
- Flora: In areas of brackish water, highly degraded mangrove patches containing Avicenna species are found. The area is also known harbour Tropical Dry Evergreen Forests, however, these are not found currently. However, Reed is found in several hundred hectares.
Tawa Reservoir, Madhya Pradesh
- Constructed on the confluence of Tawa and Denwa Rivers located near Itarsi town in Narmadapuram district of Madhya Pradesh (Hoshangabad).
- Rivers Malani, Sonbhadra and Nagdwari are important tributaries of Tawa reservoir.
- Tawa reservoir was mainly built for irrigation purpose, hydropower generation and aquaculture. The dam was completed in 1978.
- Total submergence area of Tawa reservoir in 20,500 hectares with a catchment area of 598,290 hectares.
- Located inside the Satpura Tiger Reserve and forms the western boundary of Satpura National Park and Bori Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Important Species: The reservoir serves important role in preserving the aquatic & terrestrial flora and fauna in the region, especially birds and wild animals.
About Tawa River:
- Tawa River is the longest tributary of the Narmada River with a length of 172 km.
- Leftbank tributary of Narmada River.
- Tawa River originates from Mahadeo hills in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh and flows through Betul district and joins Narmada in Narmadapuram district of Madhya Pradesh (Hoshangabad).
About Ramsar Convention
- Convention on Wetlands also known as Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
- The convention was adopted in Iranian city of Ramsar in 1975.
- Currently, 172 countries are parties to the Ramsar Convention.
- India is a party to the Ramsar Convention since 1982.
About Wetlands
Ramsar Convention defines wetlands as ‘areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static of flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters’.
Importance of Wetlands:
- Most productive ecosystems in the world, comparable to rainforests and coral reefs. They host a variety of microbes, plants, insects, birds, fish and mammals.
- Help regulate climate change through carbon sequestration. They store this carbon within their plant communities and soil, thus preventing of release of greenhouse effect causing CO2 into atmosphere.
- Serve as buffers against impact of extreme climate events such as floods and storms by absorbing the excess precipitation. This is very important in the face of climate change which is expected to increase the frequence of such events.
Key Threats to Wetlands
- According to the UK-Based Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), Wetlands are one of the world’s most threatened habitats.
- Global Wetland Outlook released by Ramsar Convention in 2018 estimates that 35% of global wetlands were lost between 1970 and 2015, mainly due to anthropogenic factors.
- Main threats for Wetlands are:
- Unsustainable development: Around 87% of world’s wetlands have been lost in the last 300 years to divert land for housing, industry and agriculture.
- Pollution: Around 80% of global wastewater is released untreated into wetlands from factories, fertiliser & pesticides run-off from agricultural fields and spills leading to serious threats to wetland ecosystems.
- Invasive alien species: Human intervention have led to introduction of invasive alien species which results in damaging wildlife and biodiversity in wetland ecosystems.
- Climate change: Extreme climate events and changes in rainfall patterns damage wetlands and the flora and fauna inhabiting them.
- Eutrophication due to chemical run-offs in wetlands.
- Encroachment of wetlands to make way for urbanisation, infrastructure development and accommodating increasing population.
Lack of policy focus: Weak enforcement of rules protection of wetland ecosystems like Wetland (Conservation & Management) Rules, 2017 etc. Low policy focus on protection of wetlands and low awareness among people about the important of wetlands.