Why Namami Gange’s success lies in wetland conservation

Wetlands have a critical role to play in the ecosystem, and contribute to climate action and freshwater availability. (Photo: Anurag Swaroop via Wikimedia Commons)

Delhi-based bird nerd Abhijay Jha visits the lush wetlands within Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh every year to spot migratory birds who call it home in the winter months. This year, the marketing executive returned home disappointed. “Unexpected rainfall in the months of October and November last year had revived several dried wetlands, especially seasonal marshlands on the Ganga floodplains. I was expecting a record number of migratory birds, but very few were around,” he says.

The Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) 2023, conducted in January at the sanctuary, too, recorded a decrease in species diversity from 45 to 38 compared to last year. Some of the winter migratory waterbird species seen this year included the Greylag Geese, Barheaded Geese and Ruddy Shelduck that come from Central Asia. According to the AWC, one reason for this decline could be that the revived wetlands (due to unseasonal rainfall) have largely dried up while the existing bigger wetlands are fully choked by water hyacinth. This leaves little to no space for birds to thrive.

Wetlands promote biodiversity. (Photo: Shino Jacob Koottanad via Wikimedia Commons)

According to the UN Environmental Programme, nearly 90 per cent of the world’s wetlands have degraded since the 1700s, and we are losing wetlands three times faster than forests. Yet, they have a critical role to play in the ecosystem, and contribute to biodiversity, climate action and freshwater availability. They are also integral to world economies. Wetlands’ ecological services contribute $47.4 trillion annually to human health, happiness, and security.

Plan of action
To create awareness about wetlands and promote their preservation, an intergovernmental treaty, called the Convention of Wetlands, was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar. It came into effect in 1975. Under it, each member country must designate at least one wetland to be included in the list of wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites).

Currently, there are more than 2,400 Ramsar sites in the world. Of these, 75 are in India. They are the largest network of Ramsar sites for any country in South Asia and cover 1.33 million ha. Of these 75 Ramsar sites, 23 are in the Ganga basin. They play a critical role in the river’s ecosystem by maintaining natural cycles and offering support to a wide variety of aquatic species. They also offer ecosystem services such as surface and groundwater recharge, flood and drought mitigation, and nutrient-recycling.

“Wetlands are an important cog to maintain the ecological, geomorphological and hydrological balance of a river. The Ganga basin, particularly, is bestowed with diverse natural and human-made wetlands that are interconnected with the river and her tributaries. They are crucial for conserving and rejuvenating the river,” says Dr Vishnu Jha, a wetlands specialist, who has been working towards the conservation of wetlands in Bihar for a decade.

The wetlands in the basin, however, have been under severe pressure. Deforestation and erosion, shifting of wetlands to paddy fields, pressure due to developmental activities of industry or residential areas, pollution due to industrial- and domestic-waste dumping, overfishing, and the introduction of exotic plants and animal species have taken a toll on them. Some have degraded. Others have disappeared.

Getting involved
In 2014, the Namami Gange Programme (NGP) was launched to accomplish twin objectives — effective abatement of pollution, and conservation and rejuvenation of the Ganga and her tributaries in a natural and cost-effective manner.

To this end, it became the first of its kind to integrate wetland conservation with basin management. “The goal is to increase baseflow and aquifer recharge to maintain the environmental flow in the river. Wetlands, majorly, play an important role in that, so, we are taking steps to conserve wetlands in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal,” says Jha.

State Wetland Authorities were strengthened in the Ganga basin. The NGP has also been working closely with several partners such as the World Wildlife Fund and Wildlife Institute of India to develop an institutional structure for the conservation of wetlands. There’s also increased focus on reforesting parts of the Ganga basin, promoting sustainable farming, and reviving key wildlife species, including river dolphins, softshell turtles, otters, and the hilsa shad fish.

Local connection
Last year, the UN recognised the NGP as one of the top 10 World Restoration Flagships to revive the natural world. It added that the initiative has restored 1,500 km of the river till date. “Additionally, there has been 30,000 hectares of afforestation so far, with a 2030 goal of 1,34,000 hectares,” it said. This includes wetlands.

A further thrust was provided when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the Amrit Dharohar scheme as part of Budget 2023. It encourages locals to remain as stakeholders to conserve wetlands. “The government will promote their unique conservation values through the Amrit Dharohar, a scheme that will be implemented over the next three years to encourage optimal use of wetlands and enhance biodiversity, carbon stock, ecotourism opportunities and income generations for local communities,” she said.

In the end, conserving these small yet extremely crucial parts of India’s riverine systems may seem insignificant, but it could emerge as the biggest step in the rejuvenation of the Ganga.