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High Altitude Wetlands in Arunachal Pradesh: a Review on Its Importance and Way Forward for Conservation and Management Journal of Critical Reviews ISSN- 2394-5125 Vol 7, Issue 3, 2020 Review Article HIGH ALTITUDE WETLANDS IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH: A REVIEW ON ITS IMPORTANCE AND WAY FORWARD FOR CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT Bishmita Medhi1 ,Sailajananda Saikia2 1Assistant Professor, Dept of Geography, Tihu College, Nalbari, Assam 2Dept Of Geography, Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh Received: 23.11.2019 Revised: 09.12.2019 Accepted: 30.01.2020 Abstract Arunachal Pradesh (26° 40’- 29°27’N,91° 35’-97°24E), the land of the dawn-lit mountains is a region to the easternmost part of India. One of the most important biomes that this region has is the wetlands which if blessed with a healthy aquatic plants and animals. In a general term wetlands are water bodies which are inundated by large water body either permanently or seasonally. Arunachal Pradesh ranks second and has 2653 identified high altitude wetlands, after Jammu and Kashmir in number. Of all the wetlands, 1672 wetlands have more than 2.25 hectare of land areas according to National Wetland Inventory and Assessment, 2011. Wetlands are blessed with a sufficient area for flourishing high altitude with a splendid biodiversity of this part of region. In terms of ecological perspective these wetlands are very important and also from religious point of view. Many of the tribal communities residing here consider the wetland and lakes as sacred sites and are being used for different rituals. On the basis of altitude the wetlands of Arunachal Pradesh can be divided into High Altitude Wetlands and Low Altitude wetlands. In the recent times due to a high pressure for grazing grounds, exploitation of pristine forest resources, a high unregulated dumping of waste, soil and water pollution, different unauthorised construction for different developmental activities and settlement are some of the major threats being observed in the High Altitude Wetlands. An attempt will be made to identify high altitude lakes and wetlands in the state and its importance on the eastern Himalayan region. Moreover, special attention will be focused on conservation and management of high altitude wetlands from Govt side and NGOs. Keywords: High Altitude Wetlands (HAWs); Eastern Himalaya; Management; policies and conservation © 2019 by Advance Scientific Research. This is an open-access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31838/jcr.07.03.109 INTRODUCTION: which depends on water balance, topography, and subsurface In general High Altitude Wetlands (HAWs) is a term which is conditions (Carvalho et al., 2007). generally used to describe “ An areas of swamp, marsh, meadow, fen, peat-land or water bodies located at an altitude In the high altitudinal regions lakes play a very critical role higher than 3000m above mean sea level (amsl), whether from different perspective apart from their ecological natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that significance, biodiversity, habitat for different form of wildlife is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or saline”. In terms of and socio-economic aspects. In different high altitudinal Himalayan region the HAWs is an important category of regions of India, high altitude lakes are the only breeding natural wetlands which are located at higher elevated region. grounds for different migratory bird species. And from socio- As per the Space Applications Centre, ISRO has monitored and cultural aspect, people living in this region are primarily mapped 4699 HAWs with an area of 126125 ha which extends dependent on these lakes for their day to day livelihood. from Northern Himalaya to North Eastern Himalaya, which are Moreover, these wetland and lakes are good areas for grazing situated in five Himalayan States viz. Jammu and Kashmir in their livestock as most tribes living in these regions are the extreme North followed by Himachal Pradesh, nomads and live with their cattle. One of the most important Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in the eastern occupation and economic activity of local nomadic corner. communities is livestock rearing which account for about 80 percent. According to Article-1 of the Convention on wetlands The Arunachal Pradesh the eastern most state of India is of international importance especially as waterfowl Habitat placed between 26°28' and 29°30' N latitudes and 91°30' and (1971), “Wetlands are areas of marsh, fen, peat land or water, 97°30' E longitudes. In terms of geographical area also the whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with state is largest among the NE states of India with 83,743 sq water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including km. The state is surrounded by China in the north and areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide doesn’t northeast (1080 Km) separated by McMohan line, in the west exceed 6-metres”. Wetlands are often described as “kidneys of by Bhutan 9160 Km), in the east by Myanmar (440 Km), and the landscape” (Mitsch & Gosselink 1986). The high altitude Assam and Nagaland in the south. In 1972 it was renamed as lakes and wetland is characterised by a different climate Arunachal Pradesh was renamed in the year 1972 from NEFA conditions and a sever seasonal and diurnal frost and earlier by the British administration. permafrost layer. Another aspect of these high altitude lakes and wetlands is generally formed by precipitation, snow-melt, Wetlands is considered as one of the most productive natural which is different from the lower altitudes lakes which receive environments in biosphere, which is very important as it holds water from local rains, through streams and runoff. a very high diversity in terms of fauna and flora, while at the same time a massive source of natural storage area for fresh Classification of High Altitude wetlands: water. Wetlands are ecosystems located in areas constantly or In terms of India, the high altitude wetland and lakes can be temporarily flooded and are usually characterized by the classified in three broad regions. The first region Northern presence of hydromorphic soils, resulting in a peculiar Himalayan region which is confined to Ladhak and Zanskar physicochemical environment, morphologically and region in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The lakes in this physiologically adapted to the hydroperiod of the system, region have water with alkaline character (pH 7.4-9.6), the Journal of critical reviews 618 HIGH ALTITUDE WETLANDS IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH: A REVIEW ON ITS IMPORTANCE AND WAY FORWARD FOR CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT high pH values and is rich in phytoplankton In terms Ladakh Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. Arunachal is ranked second region, some of the important and prominent areas are after Kashmir with 1672 High Altitudinal Wetland covering a confined to Pangong Tso, Tso Morari, Chantau, Noorichan, total area of 11864 hector which accounts for about 7.6 Chushul and Hanlay, on the other hand in Kashmir Valley the percentage of total wetland of the state. Most of the wetlands region are in and around Dal, Anchar, Wular, Haigam, Malgam, are small in size and most of the wetland is below 500 hector. Haukersar and Kranchu lakes. Only three wetlands have an area of 100-500 hectares is being identified. In the state of Sikkim, there are 534 HAWs with an The Second region is the Central Himalayan region confined to area around 3324 ha. Which account for about 44.5% of total the state of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. The region wetland area of the state. Sikkim is ranked first in terms of does not have a large number of wetlands, only the area number of lakes per 100 km² followed by Arunachal Pradesh. around Nainital, Bhimtal and Naukuchital have a limited None of the HAWs of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim is wetlands. considered under the Ramsar site. The Third region is that of Eastern Himalayas. The High Altitudinal Wetland in the region is confined to the state of Table -1: State-wise distribution of high altitude lakes in India Sl. No. State Total No. Of Lakes Area (ha) 1 Jammu and Kashmir 2104 110131 2 Himachal Pradesh 271 575 3 Uttarakhand 118 231 4 Sikkim 534 3324 5 Arunachal Pradesh 1672 11804 Total 4699 126125 Table-2: State-wise density of high altitude lakes (no of lakes / 100 km²) Sl.No. State Total Geographical Per cent No. of HAL density Geographical area ( above area above Lakes (No. of Area (km²) 3000 m amsl) 3000 m lakes/100 (km²) amsl km²) 1 Jammu and Kashmir 222236 174146 78.4 2104 1 2 Himachal Pradesh 55673 27531 49.4 271 1 3 Uttarakhand 53566 14965 27.9 118 1 4 Sikkim 7096 2783 39.2 534 19 5 Arunachal Pradesh 81424 17630 21.6 1672 9 Total 419995 237055 56.4 4699 2 Table-3: Altitude range-wise distribution of high altitude lakes in India Sl. State Altitudinal range (amsl) Total No. (3000-4000m) (4000-5000m) (>5000m) No. of Area No. of Area No. of Area No. of Area lakes (ha) lakes (ha) lakes (ha) lakes (ha) 1 Jammu and 443 3078 1245 92389 416 14664 2104 110131 Kashmir 2 Himachal Pradesh 20 20 168 424 83 131 271 575 3 Uttarakhand 40 43 68 159 10 29 118 231 4 Sikkim 6 18 323 1231 205 2075 534 3324 5 Arunachal 790 5189 862 6621 20 54 1672 11864 Pradesh Total 1299 8348 2666 100824 734 16953 4699 126125 High Altitude Wetland Areas in Arunachal Pradesh effects of climate change. They are characterized by extreme Arunachal Pradesh is ranked second in India in terms of High cold, dry and alpine climate conditions, particularly due to low Altitude Wetlands (HAWs) after Jammu & Kashmir covering a air temperature and higher ultraviolet radiation.
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