Wetlands News Monitor September - October 2018

TRENDING TOPICS IN THIS ISSUE:

1. News on Wetland Birds

2. Report on Drug-resistant Bacteria in Bellandur Lake

3. Report on Wetland Conservation

4. News on Wetland Encroachment

5. News on Wetland Mapping

6. News on Wetland Pollution

7. General Wetland News

News brief on Wetland Birds, Drug-resistant Bacteria, Wetland Conservation, Wetland Encroachment, Wetland Mapping and Wetland Pollution.

WNM Compiled by: Dr. B. Hemambika, Ms. A. Julffia Begam, Mr. N. Mohamed Ibrahim and Dr. Goldin Quadros ENVIS Centre, Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Anaikatty P.O., Coimbatore – 641108, India

News on Wetland Birds

(i) Red-necked phalarope species breeds in Eurasia and travels all the way up to Sri Lanka and New Zealand to spend its winters. Two rare wetland birds of the species Red-necked phalarope were sighted at the Panje coast in Uran after a gap of nearly 15 years. Young naturalist and documentary filmmaker Aishwarya Sridhar successfully photographed the two waders at the shore, much to the delight of birdwatchers community. Aishwarya, who has been filming and documenting the Uran wetlands for nearly a decade, since she was a child stated that the very fact that such a rare wader like Red-necked phalarope is being seen in Panje after so many years once again strengthens the case of protecting the last surviving wetlands of Uran, since so many birds come here, including flamingos. She added that there are two such waders currently at Panje. This species breeds in Eurasia and travels all the way up to Sri Lanka and New Zealand to spend its winters. Environmentalist D Stalin commented that it is indeed good news that rare Red-necked phalaropes are now being seen at Panje which shows that the wetlands here have a very rich biodiversity, and hence must be preserved.

Source: The Times of India Dt.: 15 September 2018

Young naturalist and documentary filmmaker, Aishwarya Sridhar, who has been documenting the wetlands at Uran for several years said that there is an urgent need to protect and preserve the last surviving wetlands at Panje-Funde coast where several hundreds of birds like flamingos, waders, ducks, and others come every year. She reported that nearly 85% of Uran's wetlands have already been destroyed due to man-made land filling. So, if this wetland patch also vanishes, then there will be no more birds coming to this region.

Environmentalist Debi Goenka commented that with regards to the birds survey report of Bombay Natural History Society at the Navi Mumbai airport site, it's has been clearly mentioned that the wetlands at Panje must be saved, so that the birds do not go towards the airport site, and thereby cause accidents or incidents once the planes take off or land. The state government should ideally declare it as a wetland sanctuary, before it is too late.

Source:

 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/navi-mumbai/navi-mumbai-red-necked- phalarope-seen-at-panje-in-uran-after-15-years/articleshow/65823736.cms

(ii) Migratory birds from colder regions have started to arrive in the Indore city much before the onset of winter. Small sized flocks of winged guests were spotted at a wetland in the city by Wildlife Nature Conservancy (WNC) members during monsoon counting of birds in September 2018. The bird species- black redstart- indicator of arrival of winter was seen at Kajligarh by the WNC members. Barn swallow, common sandpiper and booted warbler, which are also winter visitors to Indore, were seen in a good number at Talawali Chandalake, by a group of bird watchers headed by bird expert Ajay Gadikar.

Source: The Times of India Dt.: 05 October 2018

The bird watching and counting was being done by WNC members at Kajligarh and Baroda Daulatlake of the city under Bombay Natural History Society‟s Common Bird Monitoring Programme. The number of species counted for monsoon at Baroda Daulat and Talawali Chanda lakes was 56 and 47 respectively. In Kajligarh the total number of species counted was 36.

WNC group secretary Rajesh Mangal stated that they split into two groups for the count in Kajligarh area and Baroda Daulat. With this count they have the data of these two spots for all three seasons of 2018. Among the most seen bird species at all the three spots of Indore were rosy sterling, red-wattled lapwing, blue tailed bee-eater, red munia, scarry breasted munia and oriental white eye. Most of these birds are found locally and breed in the monsoon season.

Bird expert Gadikar reported the findings of Talawali Chanda Lake. He reported that pond herons were also seen at the lake, where there was water. However, another species of birds known as grey headed swamphens were missing from the area this time since there was some habitat destruction. The Common Bird Monitoring Programme conducted by the BNHS held thrice a year in winter, summer and monsoon. The bird counting is done mainly through the mode of citizen science, involving local bird watchers, NGOs and individuals in the count.

Source:

 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/migratory-guests-from-colder-regions- start-flocking-wetlands/articleshow/66091618.cms

(iii) The last surviving wetland at Uran recently installated with a sluice gate to block inter- tidal seawater at Panje. The environmentalists worried for this action and the local villagers at Panje are alleging that sluice gate has been put up by those interested in illegally grabbing the wetland. Activist Debi Goenka of the Conservation Action Trust, has written to various state authorities, including forest department (mangrove cell), Konkan divisional commissionerate, Cidco, among others about the issue and urged the officials to save this surviving wetland by removing the sluice gate. This setup does not allow seawater to flow back into the mangroves; which means that the entire wetland can die in the next few days if the authorities do not remove

it. This new construction is also a violation of the latest final order of the Bombay high court regarding the petition on preservation and protection of mangroves in Maharashtra.

The sluice gate at a wetland in Uran

Source: The Times of India Dt.: 03 October 2018

Naturalist and documentary filmmaker, Aishwarya Sridhar said that she had also visited Panje two days ago to photograph the wetland birds and it was shocked to see that a new sluice gate has been erected. She added that so many wetland birds, including flamingos visit this wetland. But if the seawater is stopped from going into the mangroves, then the entire land will become barren and no birds will visit it again. A Cidco spokesperson said that at present they do not know about this sluice gate, but will ask the concerned officials who are looking into environmental issues and get back.

The state forest official heading the mangrove cell, N Vasudevan reported that he have just now received a copy of the complaint with regard to the presence of sluice gate at Panje shore, which is reportedly blocking the seawater from entering the mangroves and he will send the officials to Uran to inquire about it and report back. The activist reported that in the last ten years, there has been massive earth-filling at Uran which wiped out over 85% of the wetlands; and the state government must ensure that this „bird paradise‟ is fully protected.

Source:

 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/navi-mumbai/greens-upset-over-new-sluice-gate- at-urans-last-surviving-mangrove-patch/articleshow/66046056.cms

(iv) A black-necked stork was spotted near Basai wetland in June with a plastic ring (those hold the cap of beverage bottles) around its beak and rescued after a weeklong struggle from Najafgarh Jheel has returned to the Gurugram city. Some birders claimed to have spotted the stork with a yellow ring on its right foot in the Basai wetland. As per norms, whenever a bird is rescued, it is marked with a ring for identification in future. Sumit Das, a birder and photographer reported that the bird looked quite active and alert. It was feeding normally, along with other birds, and flew away with the painted stork flock.

The stork was first spotted by a birder near Basai wetland on June 7 with a plastic ring around its beak. It had been unable to part its beak because of the ring, spending almost a week without eating anything. An eight-member team, including rescuers from the Bombay Natural History Society, Nature Conservation Foundation and the district forest department, rescued the bird and removed the plastic ring when it lost strength to fly after a week. Pankaj Gupta, a conservationist and birder from Delhi Bird Foundation stated that while the stork was released after proper examination, there was a doubt about its survival. However, as the bird was ringed (as per the international norms), the bird was easily identified and glad to know that the bird has survived.

Source: The Times of India Dt.: 07 October 2018

Those involved in the rescue and then rehabilitation of the bird also expressed satisfaction. Anil Gandas, a wildlife enthusiast, who recently received a state award for rescuing birds and reptiles in Gurugram reported that the bird survived because it had managed to drink

water even with the plastic ring around its beak, which shows that the region offers ideal habitat to the species.

Source:

 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/birders-rejoice-as-stork-rescued-in-june- is-healthy-flies-back-to-wetland/articleshow/66103484.cms

(v) Odisha‟s Chilika Lake is one of the largest wintering grounds in Asia to which. Migratory birds have started arriving at this wetland, but not in their usual numbers this year. The arrival of migratory birds is awaited with the onset of winter every year. This year, however, fewer winged visitors have descended on the mudflats of the lake. Around this time, Chilika is usually filled with a cacophony of birds. Susanta Nanda, chief executive of the Chilika Development Authority reported that as acres of patches are still under water, birds are not descending on the lake and it‟s been expected the situation will improve fast and become conducive for migratory birds. Close to one million birds congregate on the mudflats of the lake during winter. The lake, spread over 1,000 sq km, is home to 230 bird species, out of which 97 are intercontinental migrants from the Artic and Eurasian regions. The lake has been a designated Ramsar site (a wetland of international importance) since 1981.

Migratory birds in Chilika Lake.

Source: The Hindu Dt.: 27 October 2018

The Nalabana Bird Sanctuary and Mangalajodi, the two major places where the birds congregate, also have not received the usual numbers. Mr. Nanda said that many birds are flying in v-shape over Chilika and assessing the situation. Once the mudflats are exposed, birds will descend in lakhs. One of the reasons behind the low turnout is the flooding after incessant rain triggered by cyclone Titli that hit the Odisha coast in the second week of October.

Source:

 https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-life/migratory-birds-start-arriving-at-chilika- numbers-are-down/article25341165.ece

(vi) Pheasant-tailed jacanas were found to be in good number few years ago at the Perumbakkam wetland. Naturalist K.V.R.K. Thirunaranan reported that pheasant-tailed jacanas build their nests on scarps of floating polysterene material. These discarded materials had taken the place of floating vegetation towards which these birds have an affinity. Besides providing a stage for them to enact nature‟s magic of regeneration, floating vegetation help these birds forage for food. As a wader, the pheasant-tailed jacanas look for food standing in shallow water. When the water runs deep, floating vegetation such as water lilies prove more useful. In these parts, pheasant-tailed jacanas trotting around on broad and flat leaves of water lilies are a common sight. Birdwatchers have given it a moniker as lily-trotter. So, when the perumbakkam wetland, which not long ago would be drowned in the full-throated mews of pheasant-tailed jacanas, does not seem to be attracting these birds in as many numbers as before, the first thing one looks for is signs of floating vegetation. Now, the wetland doesn't have much floating vegetation, especially water lilies that suit pheasant-tailed jacanas. There is duckweed, plenty of it, but this is obviously not the kind of floating vegetation that help jacanas.

The Sholinganallur Lake located a short distance away, supports a population of pheasant-tailed jacanas, probably because there is water hyacinth, certainly not an aquatic plant one would want in any waterbody. It‟s an invasive aquatic weed that can disturb the biodiversity balance in a waterbody or waterway. D. Narasimhan, member of Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board stated that when the water is not clean, native floating vegetation, which includes water lilies, don‟t thrive. In such a situation, invasive alien aquatic plant species such as the water hyacinth

can grow wildly and take over a waterbody. Fortunately, in the Perumbakkam wetland, water hyacinth has not made an appearance.

Thirunaranan, founder of The Nature Trust reported that these birds serve as a barometer of a wetland‟s quality. Lack of floating vegetation can be a strong reason for dwindling jacana presence in a wetland, but not the only reason. For, pheasant-tailed jacanas are drawn to grasses as well. At the Perumbakkam wetland, there have been times when pheasant-tails streaking out of grasses would be an usual sight. The wetland still has grasses. Thirunaranan who is associated with the Conservation Authority of Pallikaranai Marsh Land, an initiative of the Forest Department, that seeks to preserve the Pallikaranai marsh, which includes the Perumakkam wetland, believes the latter does not receive as much water as before. He added that a thorough study of the wetland is needed.

Source:

 https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/jacana-numbers-dwindle-at- perumbakkam-wetland/article25333765.ece

Report on Drug-resistant Bacteria in Bellandur Lake

Raw sewage flows in a steady stream into Bellandur Lake, bringing with it heavy metals, froth- inducing phosphorus, coliforms and other microorganisms. The murky waters of the cesspool may even be a breeding ground for bacteria to develop into stronger, more drug-resistant varieties. When Mahesha J., who was doing his master‟s thesis in Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), and researcher Priyanka Jamwal from Centre for Environment and Development at ATREE compared bacterial samples from „relatively-cleaner‟ Jakkur with that of Bellandur Lake, the results were stark. Bacteria isolated from the severely polluted Bellandur Lake had developed resistance to more antibiotics than those at Jakkur Lake where an STP and a wetland provide layers of purification.

In a comparison of 10 bacterial species with 10 common antibiotics, researchers found that in Jakkur Lake, bacteria had developed resistance in 37 cases; that is, each bacteria species

developed resistance to between one and six antibiotic drugs. However, in Bellandur, this number goes up to 51. Mr. Mahesha revealed that bacteria have almost universally developed resistance to drugs such as amoxcillin and cefoperazone, which is seen in the figures for Jakkur and Bellandur. But it is the variation of the other drugs that is a concern. Take for instance, Citrobacter species, which can cause a wide spectrum of infections from urinary tract to the respiratory tract, has resistance to six drugs in Jakkur Lake. At Bellandur, it has resistance to eight drugs. Klebsiella, which can cause pneumonia, has seen resistance to seven drugs in Bellandur, compared to five in Jakkur. Mr. Mahesha added that the results were surprising as the experiment was repeated the results were found to be the same. His presumption was that the chemicals in Bellandur Lake were expediting mutation of these bacteria, allowing them to develop resistance to drugs which are present in the lake.

The research first took root with identifying common antibiotics present in significant quantities. In 2017, Ms. Jamwal and researchers from Portsmouth in the UK deployed Chemcatcher, a novel technology that can find out medical compounds present in water and their concentrations. Their tests in Jakkur Lake, Vrishabhavathi valley and sewage flowing out of two apartment complexes showed the presence of antibiotics, antidepressants, antifungals, antihistamines, anti-inflammatory, epilepsy, beta-blockers and painkillers in the water. This provided a base to narrow down on 10 common antibiotics, all of which are Beta Lactam antibiotics that are widely used. They tested the bacterial samples against these drugs. After the isolation of each sample, the bacterial colony‟s resistance was tested by measuring the „zone of inhibition‟ around discs that were dipped in antibiotic compound. If the area around the disc was clear, it meant that the bacteria were still sensitive to the drug, while if the disc had no effect, it implied that the bacteria were resistant. A lower concentration of bacterial species around the species showed „intermediate‟ resistance, where the drug merely inhibits growth of bacteria but may not be killing it completely. Overall, the 10 „Jakkur‟ bacterial species had 26 intermediate reactions to drugs. In Bellandur, it had reduced to just 17, implying that bacteria had gone up a few notches in their resistance to becoming completely resistant. A point to note is that Mr. Mahesha and Ms. Jamwal chose the enterobacter family of bacteria for their tests. The study did not look at other bacteria species, whose resistance could also be a concern. For Ms. Jamwal, the results show the emergence of new concerns and new pollutants which Sewage Treatment Plants are not capable of filtering. She reported that there really has not been many studies in the city on

the zone of influence of these antimicrobial resistant bacteria in lakes, or whether they end up in groundwater. Without in-depth studies, the State is pumping out the same water to Kolar where the consequences are not known.

Source:

 https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/drug-resistant-bacteria- in-bellandur-lake/article25117229.ece

Report on Wetland Conservation

(i) The Alappuzha district administration, with the support of local self-government institutions, will launch a project for the conservation of Vembanad Lake. District Collector S. Suhas said that the project was aimed at bringing the lake back to its glorious days and it would be implemented in 2019-20. All local bodies on the banks of Vembanad Lake and the Alappuzha municipality will be part of the project titled „Vembanad Kayal Thirichuvarunnu‟. Mr. Suhas stated that the local bodies and the Alappuzha municipality should set aside 10% and 15% of their development fund allocation for the purpose respectively. They will utilise the amount for implementing various projects such as setting up of waste treatment plant, sewage treatment plant, construction of retaining wall, and for the tourism sector, among others. Officials said that the project would help reduce pollution in the lake and restore the ecosystem. The once pristine Vembanad Lake, a Ramsar site, can now lay claim to being one of the most polluted waterbodies.

According to a study carried out by the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad (KSSP) sometime ago, the water carrying capacity of the lake has diminished by 78%. The lake itself has shrunk from 36,000 ha to 12,500 ha owing to widespread reclamation and encroachments. The studies point out that the Vembanad wetland system has deteriorated considerably due to human interventions, unscientific practices and urbanisation of the region.

Source: The Hindu Dt.: 20 October 2018

The main reason for which the lake ecosystem has been adversely impacted is uncontrolled tourism growth. There are more than 1,500 houseboats in the backwaters of Alappuzha and half of them plying without registration and safety certificates. A report of the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), Kozhikode, said the recreational carrying capacity of Vembanad Lake is 262 houseboats. Based on it, the government had imposed a ban in Alappuzha on the construction of new houseboats after December 31, 2013, but with little effect. With the growth of the tourism sector, the dumping of plastic waste and sewage in backwaters by houseboats and other sources has become rampant, posing a considerable threat to the lake ecosystem.

Source:

 https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/vembanad-conservation- gets-a-boost/article25268072.ece

(ii) The bright lights illuminating walkways around lakes may be keeping out the original denizens of the lake ecosystem: birds, bats, and other insects. Currently, most of the lake rejuvenation projects come with a package of walking paths, open-air gyms, and other facilities

that turn the area into a public space. Researchers say night lighting within the lake premises adversely affects the fauna.

V. Ramprasad, convener, Friends of Lakes reported that most lakes have LED lights that are kept on till late in the night. Though there has been no scientific study, anecdotally it seems like birds nesting in these lakes have definitely decreased. The bat population at these lakes has also come down. Several lakes, including two lakes in Vidyaranyapura, Jakkurlake, Allalasandra lake and Agara lake, have night lighting. Many detailed project reports for lake rejuvenation by the BBMP and BDA, which are in the pipeline, have proposals for walkways and street lights.

S. Subramanya, an avid bird watcher and researcher, said lights were never part of the lake ecosystem and he was at a loss as to why they are being introduced now. He stated that lakes are home to a wide diversity of fauna and the night lighting will adversely impact habitation. Birds will not choose such areas for nesting and breeding. Lighting up such ecosystems will also adversely affect the patterns of nocturnal creatures like bats, owls and several insects.

A view of the lights at Sankey Tank in Bengaluru. Photo Credit: G.P. Sampath Kumar

Source: The Hindu Dt.: 01 October 2018

Harini Nagendra, professor of sustainability, Azim Premji University, said care must be taken to even avoid building walkways through wetlands, which are usually the habitats of a

variety of fauna. In many lakes, walkways have cut through wetlands disturbing this habitat. Dr. Nagendra added that there are exceptions, like Madiwala Bio Diversity Park, Kaikondrahalli Lake, which do not have lighting and it was a conscious decision.

Senior civil officials say that after rejuvenation, lakes are seen as open public spaces, and there was pressure from communities for amenities, including night lighting. People want to walk along the lake not just in the mornings, but late evenings too. Street lights come into the picture for safety after dark. An official stated that unless these areas have lights, they become dens for anti-social elements like drug peddlers, drunkards and, many times, even prostitution. However, activists argue that lighting up the lakes to prevent anti-social elements made little sense. Dr. Subramanya reported that let them fence all lakes and put them under lock and key post 6.30 p.m. In some lakes, there are home guards to ensure this does not happen.

Source:

 https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/activists-oppose-street-lights-at- lakes/article25100015.ece

News on Wetland Encroachment

The encroachment of the Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS), a Ramsar site, has become faster after the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) constituted by the Supreme Court asked the Andhra Pradesh Government to maintain status quo on altering its boundary. Environmentalists allege that land mafia is digging up fish tanks at a faster pace as the agencies concerned with protecting the wetland have been plunged into confusion with so many conflicting reports. Land mafia is taking advantage of the confusion and is trying to encroach upon the wetland, they charge. Encroachment of the KWS had, in fact, picked up pace from the time the Central Working Group headed by Raman Sukumar recommended a resurvey of the patta and ziroyati (private) lands in the sanctuary. The working group had recommended removal of privately held patta (ziroyati) lands that form a single large stretch very close to the north-eastern boundary of the KWS and provide relief to the D-patta land cooperatives through a combination of ways – provide compensation or rehabilitate them elsewhere.

It, however, had said that these actions should be taken only after the compilation of reliable data on the actual boundary of the KWS on the ground, extent of ziroyati and D-patta lands, encroachments, land use, hydrology, etc., as recommended by the Azeez Committee in 2011. The working group had said that this data would form the scientific basis for fixing the new boundaries of sanctuary as well as rehabilitation of the people. It had also recommended preparation of an integrated management plan for the broader (up to contour + 10) Kolleru Lake. The comprehensive plan for the KWS prepared for the State government by the Wetlands International in 2008 had not been implemented yet, the conservationists allege.

Source: The Hindu Dt.: 17 September 2018

Prof. Sukumar had observed that the Wetlands International study was the most scientific assessment of the hydrology, biodiversity, land use, and environmental problems of the region. The committee had even recommended that important areas of bird congregation be declared as „core zones‟ free of human disturbances. The remaining area could be used for traditional fishing, without construction of bunds for impounding water as it was being done for commercial fishing. Kolleru Lake Conservation crusader T. Pathanjali Sastry said that while the Prof. Sukumar committee had laid down so many conditions for denotification of the private and patta

lands, the State government simply decided to denotify the land, which would only add to the problem. He alleged that taking advantage of the confusion, some influential persons are encroaching on the KWS. As one of the original petitioners to the case in the Supreme Court, Mr. Sastry said he had written to the CEC to make public the interim order so that the sanctuary managers would act upon it. He also asked that officials of the Forest Department are booking cases, but where are the convictions?

Source:

 https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/land-mafia-at-work-in-kolleru- environmentalist/article24963121.ece

News on Wetland Mapping

Bombay high court questioned Maharashtra state government on wetland mapping and directed to inform it about how many districts mapping of wetlands can be simultaneously conducted in. A bench of Justices ShantanuKemkar and Sarang Kotwal heard a PIL by NGO Vanshakti for preservation of wetlands. Wetlands include marshy areas, estuaries, creeks, tanks, ponds, reservoirs, lakes and other water bodies. Following the HC suggestion to conduct mapping, the government in June said that it had taken up Sindhudurg district as a pilot project. It was granted time till August 31 to complete the task. Government advocate G W Mattos said wetlands mapping was completed in Sindhudurg and submitted a report. But Vanshakti‟s advocate, Zaman Ali, argued that there was an urgent need to conduct mapping of wetlands in urban areas such as Mumbai, Mumbai suburbs, Navi Mumbai and Pune. Mattos said the government “started with Sindhudurg as it is the most ecosensitive district”.

Mattos also said Palghar district will be taken up next. He added that Mumbai has peculiar aspects, as also Navi Mumbai. But time and again violations are reported in Palghar. The judges directed the Palghar collector to take necessary steps to map Palghar‟s wetlands within two months. The judges then said they can order every district collector to undertake wetland-mapping at the same time. Justice Kemkar informed to report to them in how many

districts mapping can be done simultaneously, so that orders can be passed uniformly. The judges posted the next hearing on November 14.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/in-how-many-districts-can-wetland-mapping- be-done-simultaneously-hc-to-state/articleshow/65862894.cms

News on Wetland Pollution

(i) Even though Surajpur has been granted wetland status, six marshes in its vicinity polluted due to trash dumping. Environmentalists have called for urgent measures to save these low-lying areas that typically remain waterlogged at all times. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on September 14 refused to grant wetland status to these six marshes though it brought under protection the 60 hectare low-lying area within the 308 hectare reserve forest in Surajpur while disposing of a 2016 petition by environmentalists. TOI visited the area and found the marshes covered with hyacinth and garbage. The Greater Noida police lines are being constructed adjacent to these marshes.

Vikrant Tongad, founder, Social Action for Forests and Environment (SAFE) stated that several industries in the region were found to be letting their toxic wastes out into these marshes. These marshes are good natural habitats for birds and water creatures and they should be protected and pollution of these areas should be stopped. He added that these low- lying areas should be cleaned and boundaries should be created so that encroachment doesn‟t take place. These are the green lungs that protect our environment and have far reaching impact in preserving ecological balance. When contacted, officials of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board said an inspection would soon be done to check any garbage being dumped into the marshes. An official reported that they need to identify the source of the garbage and stop it accordingly and will not allow toxic waste flowing into these waterbodies or dumping of garbage as they are trying to conserve them the marshes. However, Tongad stated that Google Earth pictures and wetland directories do mark these areas as unprotected wetlands and they want that some conservation to be done so that these areas do not fall prey to construction and garbage

dumping activities in future. Non-recyclable wastes which are being thrown into these marshes would eventually turn the water toxic by damaging the entire habitat.

The NGT had refused to grant wetland status to these six marshes

Source: The Hindu Dt.: 20 September 2018

The wetland of Surajpur itself is a 60 hectare portion which is a destination for foreign birds from Asia and Europe during the migratory season. The wetland has been home to 186 species of birds from 44 families, of which 102 species are resident, 53 are winter migrants and 28 summer migrants. Conservation of Surajpur is no doubt crucial for the entire region as it is a major green lung. But it must be noted for several such low-lying areas which are not recognized or marked but should be recorded as wetlands simply to help conservation activity to take ground.

Source:

 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/six-marshes-around-surajpur-wetland-fall- prey-to-pollution-trash-dumping/articleshow/65878631.cms

(ii) A study conducted by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) has revealed that accumulation of plastic

wastes and veterinary drug residue is posing a serious threat to the Kuttanad wetland ecosystem in the wake of the floods that inundated the region last month, with long-term consequences for human health. The post-flood field survey carried out by researchers from the School of Marine Sciences, CUSAT at 40 locations found that intense turbidity had affected the water quality in most of the rivers including the Pampa, Manimala, Achencoil, Meeenachil, Periyar and Muvattupuzha. BijoyNandan, Professor and Head, Department of Marine Biology, CUSAT who led the study stated that they recorded very high levels of faecal contamination and high soil acidity at many locations.

The research team noted a spike in the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of water and a decline in the dissolved oxygen level, indicating heavy organic pollution and high stress on aquatic organisms. In some locations, the BOD levels were observed to be almost double the acceptable count for fresh water. The high turbidity of water was found to have affected phytoplankton productivity with a possible impact on aquatic biodiversity and fisheries.

Dr. Nandan stated that the most distressing obsession is the presence of microplastics, veterinary drugs and heavy metals, all of which could enter the food chain with deleterious long- term impact on human health. While the metals and drugs bind to the soil and later enter the food chain through plants, microplastics are known to be ingested by fish and other aquatic organisms which are in turn consumed by humans. In the wake of the floods, the team recovered more than 300 pieces of plastic waste from a 200 sq m plot in Kuttanad, indicating the extent of pollution and the gravity of the threat faced by ecosystem. Microplastic is the term used for tiny pieces of plastic that are accidentally eaten by fish.

Dr. Nandan reported that the tests indicate an increase in the veterinary drug residue in the areas that were flooded. The presence of heavy metals like copper, zinc, lead and cadmium was also found to be high. The CUSAT team which has been surveying the Kuttanad-Vembanad wetland area in association with KSPCB over the last two years had recorded the presence of pharmaceuticals like Benzyl benzoate, Benzenepropanoic acid, Cyclic octatomicsulphur, Phenyl compounds and paracetamol derivatives in water sources. Dr. Nandan elucidated that human and veterinary drugs end up in the environment through manufacturing waste, human or animal excretion, runoff from animal feeding operations or leaching from landfills. They bind to the soil, adding toxicity to vegetation and crops and affecting the ecosystem. Mr. K. Sajeevan,

KSPCB chairman report that the report would be submitted to the Environment Department with recommendations for further studies.

Source:

 https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/vet-drugs-pose-threat-to- kuttanad/article25036147.ece

General Wetland News

Wetlands which directly or indirectly provide almost all of the world‟s consumption of fresh water, are disappearing three times faster than forests, says the first-ever Global Wetland Outlook released in Switzerland by the Ramsar Convention - a global treaty of 170 countries, including India, to protect the most valuable ecosystem. It was found that approximately 35% of the world‟s wetlands were lost in 45 years between 1970-2015. The report noted average annual rate of loss to an extent of 0.78% a year, presenting “severe consequences” for future unless urgent action is taken to ensure their survival. The report of the convention revealed that this is three times faster than the average annual rate of natural forest loss between 1990-2015 at 0.24% per year. Wetlands, which include lakes, rivers, marshes and peat-lands as well as coastal and marine areas such as estuaries, lagoons, mangroves and coral reefs, are currently estimated to cover more than 12.1 million sq km - an area more than three times the size of India.

Wetlands are a vital source for food, raw materials, genetic resources for medicines, and hydro-power and play an important role in transport and tourism. According to an estimate, more than one billion people across the globe depend on them and 40% of the world‟s species live and breed on wetlands. Martha Rojas Urrego, secretary general of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands stated that the Global Wetland Outlook is a wake-up call - not only on the steep rate of loss of the world‟s wetlands but also on the critical services they provide and without them, the global agenda on sustainable development will not be achieved. She added that they need urgent collective action to reverse trends on wetland loss and degradation, and secure both the future of wetlands. The report notes how pollution from various sources led to worsening of water quality with nearly all fresh water sources in the world compromised to some extent.

Quoting the UN, the report says more than 80% of waste water is released into wetlands without adequate treatment while fertiliser use in 2018 is likely to be 25% higher than in 2008, exacerbating excessive wetland plant growth and levels of decomposition resulting in oxygen starvation for flora and fauna alike. It reveals that losses (of wetlands) have been driven by mega trends such as climate change, population increase, urbanisation, particularly of coastal zones and river deltas, and changing consumption patterns that have all fuelled changes to land and water use and to agriculture. Referring to efforts of different countries, the report underlines how the Supreme Court in India had in response to a public interest lawsuit in 2017 ordered a national inventory of almost 2,00,000 wetlands.

India had notified new rules to protect wetlands, decentralising its management by giving states powers to not only identify and notify wetlands within their respective jurisdictions but also keep watch on prohibited activities.

Source:

 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/wetlands-disappearing-3-times-faster-than- forests-threatening-fresh-water-supplies-report/articleshow/65974012.cms