WETLAND CONSERVATION IN WEST BENGAL

NAME-VASWATI CHATTERJEE
Presented on : 19 Oct 2010 ROLL-10AR60R28
Faculty : Prof. Banhi Chakraborty MCP 1ST YR
DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE AND REGIONAL PLANNING
CONTENT OF STUDY
 WHAT ARE WETLANDS?
DEFINITION-1
WETLANDS ARE AREAS THAT ARE PERIODICALLY OR PERMANENTLY INUNDATED BY
SURFACE OR GROUND WATER AND SUPPORT VEGETATION ADAPTED FOR LIFE IN
SATURATED SOIL.

DEFINITION-2
WETLANDS ARE THE ECOTONES OR TRANSITIONAL ZONES BETWEEN PERMANENTLY
AQUATIC AND DRY TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS.
RAMSAR CONVENTION HAS DEFINED WETLANDS AS "AREAS OF MARSH, FEN , PEATLAND OR
WATER, WHETHER NATURAL OR ARTIFICAL, PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY WITH WATER THAT
IS STATIC OR FLOWING, FRESH, BRACKISH OR SALT, INCLUDING AREAS OF MARINE WATER
THE DEPTH OF WHICH AT LOW TIDE DOES NOT EXCEED SIX METERS".

KEY ATTRIBUTES OF WETLANDS

1) HYDROLOGY WHICH IS A DEGREE OF FLOODING OF SOIL SATURATION
(2) WETLAND VEGETATION (HYDROPHYTES)
(3)SUBSTRATE IS PREDOMINANTLY HYDRIC SOILS.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION TYPES OF WETLANDS
TYPES ESTUARIES SWAMPS BLOGS VLIES SPRINGS/ FLOOD DAMS
SEEPS PLAINS
DESCRIPTION

AT MOUTH OF WELL VEGETATED SEASONAL / PERMANENTLY LOW LYING ARTIFICIALLY

PERRENIAL RIVERS AREAS WITH FORMS WHERE PERMANENT VEGETATED LAND NEAR CREATED BY
WITH DIVERSE PERMANENT GROUND WELL POOLS FORMED RIVERS WHERE DAMING THE
ECO SYSTEMS WATER LOGGED WATER IS VEGETATED BY ARTESIAN WATER FLOW OF THE
SOIL ACIDIC POOLS WATER OVERFLOWS RIVER

INDIAN CLASSIFICATION
TYPES GLACIATIC TECTONIC OXBOW LAGOONS CRATER SALT MANMADE
WATER
DESCRIPTI
ON

CHANDERTAL,HP NAINITAL WULAR LAKE LONAR LAKE SAMBHAR LAKE PONG LAKE
CHILKA LAKE
TYPES RESERVOIRS URBAN MANGROVES CORAL CREEKS
REEFS
DESCRIPTI
ON

BHAKRA NANGAL NAINITAL SUNDARBANS LAKSHWADEEP THANE CREEK

SOURCE-NWCP DAMN
BENEFITS OF WETLANDS
 WHY IS WETLAND CONSERVATION
NEEDED?
THREATS TO WETLANDS
 GLOBAL SCENARIO IN WETLAND
PRIMARY INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CONSERVATION
SUD-NET-
SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT
NETWORK
CCCI-
CITIES AND CLIMATE CHANGE
INITIATIVE
RAMSAR-
THE ONLY GLOBAL TREATY(SET UP IN
1971 IN RAMSAR RESORT,IRAN) THAT
DEALS WITH A PARTICULAR ECO-
SYSTEM(WETLANDS)AND PROMOTES
CONSERVATION AND WISE USE OF
WETLANDS

SUSTAINABLE
CITIES PROG

AGENDA 21 SUSTAINABLE CITIES PROGRAMME-PART OF UN-HABITAT TO

INVOLVE MUNICIPALITIES/CITY AUTHORITIES IN APPLYING
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY AT GASS ROOT LEVEL
AGENDA 21-IT IS A PROG. WHICH WAS STARTED IN 1992 BY THE
UN TO DISCUSS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
LAKE VICTORIA
PROG
LAKE VICTORIA PROGRAMME-REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROG.
BY KENYA AND ITS NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES FOR RIPARIAN
COMMUNITES DEPENDING ON WETLANDS
 WETLANDS IN INDIA
STATE WISE DISTRIBUTION OF WETLANDS
UNDER NATIONAL WETLAND CONSERVATION
PROGRRAMME(NWCP)

STATES NUMBER
MADHYA PRADESH 12
UTTAR PRADESH 9
GUJARAT 8
JAMMU & KASHMIR 7
KARNATAKA
SIKKIM 6
W.B, H.P., KERALA 5

SOURCE-NWCP

PRIMARY WETLAND CONSERVATION

PROGRAMMES
NATIONAL WETLAND CONSERVATION
PROGRAMME

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

NATIONAL LAKE CONSERVATION PLAN

RAMSAR CONVENTION
 WETLANDS IN WB
TYPOLOGY OF WETLANDS IN W.B.

NAME AREA OF COVERAGE TYPE GOVERNING BODY

SUNDERBANS 4262 SQ.KMS(INDIA) COASTAL NWCP
MANGROVE
EAST KOLKATA 12,500 HAC URBAN WETLAND RAMSAR, NWCP
WETLANDS
AHIRON BEEL 30-64 HAC FRESH WATER NWCP
PERENIAL
RASIK BEEL OX BOW LAKE NWCP
-
SANTRAGACHI 13,75,000 SQ.FT. URBAN WETLAND MINISTRY OF
ENVIRONMENT & FOREST
TOTAL AREA OF WETLANDS IN WEST BENGAL-.345 MILLION HECTARES SOURCE-NWCP

SUNDARBANS EAST KOLKATA WETLANDS MIGRATORY DUCKS IN SANTRAGACHI

WETLAND
THE SUNDARBANS
FOOLING THE ROYAL MAN
EATER?
 SUNDARBANS:FACTS
NEW FACTS ABOUT SUNDARBAN
DELHI
DHAKA IT IS THE LARGEST COASTAL MANGROVE WETLAND IN THE EARTH
KOLKATA IT IS HOME TO A VAST DIVERSITY OF ECO SYSTEM
DESIGNATED AS BIOSPHERE RESERVE AND WORLD HERITAGE SITE

MAP SHOWING POSITION OF

SUNDARBAN

BANGLADESH
KOLKATA MONGLA

INDIA
THE SUNDARBANS HAVE A
POPULATION ABOVE 4 MILLION

THE REGION IS INUNDATED TWICE

PER DAY DURING HIGH TIDE

THE SALINITY DECRREASES WEST

TO EAST AND FROM COAST
TOWARDS INLAND

THE MANGROVE FORESTS ARE PRIMARILY UTILIZED FOR 80% OF THE RAINFALL OCCUR
THE FOLLOWING- DURING THE MONSOONS IN THE
FOOD:FISH, HONEY, CRAB ETC. MONTHS OF JUNE TO OCTOBER
FUELWOOD FROM VARIOUS TREES
FRY COLLECTION DURING STORM WATER SURGES
SOURCE-NWCP TO 7.5M HT.
BUILDING MATERIALS
BENEFITS OF THE SUNDARBANS
SUNDARBANS:THREATS
COASTAL PROTECTION AGAINST WAVE AND WIND EROSION

MODERATING EFFECTS OF COASTAL STORMS AND CYCLONES

SHELTER AND HABITAT FOR DIVERSE WILDLIFE AND AVIFAUNA

NUTRIENT SINK EFFECT AND REDUCTION IN EXCESS AMOUNT OF POLLUTANTS

ENTRAPMENT OF UPLAND RUNOFF SEDIMENTS THUS PROTECTING NEAR SHORE REEFS AND REDUCING WATER TURBIDITY

PROVIDES OPPURTUNITY FOR RECREATION AND TOURISM

CAUSES OF DETORIATION OF THE MANGROVE FORESTS

OVER THE PAST 200 YEARS

THE AREA OF THE
SUNDARBANS HAVE BEEN
REDUCED TO HALF AND
THE RATE IS INCRREASING
RAPIDLY
AILA, 25TH MAY, 2009
 ROLE OF THE POLICY MAKERS
CONSERVATION POLICIES
IN SUNDARBANS
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ALL THE SECTORS AROUND THE ECO REGION

THE MAIN COMMUNICATION NETWORKS AT PRESENT

ARE FERRYS AND BOATMEN
OUTDATED TREKKERS ARE THE MAIN PLIERS ON LAND
RAILWAY CONNECTION EXISTS TILL CANNING IN THE
(EASTERN PART) (BAKKHALI) (SAGAR ISLAND) EAST AND TILL DIAMOND HARBOUR IN THE WEST

PROMOTING ECO TOURISM

INVOLVING LOCAL
WEST BENGAL
PARTICIPATION
RENEWABLE
DEVELOPMENT
AGENCY(WBRDA) POWER
STATION IN MOUSUNI
ISLAND
WOOD BIOMASS
GASIFIER POWER
DEVELOPING MORE SUSTAINABLE AQUA STATION IN MOLLAKHALI
CULTURE TECHNIQUES ISLAND
BETTER AWARENESS ABOUT THE ADVERSE
EFFECT OF THESE TECHNIQUES ON ECOLOGY
IDENTIFYING THE PEOPLE HAVING AQUA
CULTURE AS A MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD BUILDING FRESH WATER CANALS
COLLECTIVE ACTION IN THE
FARMING COMMUNITY
MAINTANANCE OF
EMBANKMENT
PLANNING FROM THE
AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT
 CONSERVATION POLICIES
ROLE OF THE POLICY MAKERS IN SUNDARBANS
 CASE STUDIES OF MANGROVE WETLANDS
PALAU MANGROVE KAU ESTUARY EVERGLADES MANGROVE
WETLANDS WETLANDS
IT IS LOCATED IN
FRENCH GUIANA
IN S.AMERICA
A COMBINATION
OF MANGROVE
& LOCATED IN THE
GRASS LANDS SOUTHERN TIP
ISLAND NATION IN PACIFIC OCEAN OF FLORIDA,USA
NEAR TO TOKYO
MAJOR THREATS-LAND MAIN ACTIVITIES-FISHING, CLEARING MAJOR THREATS- SINCE THE DRAINING
RECLAMATION FOR RESIDENTIAL GRASSLANDS FOR AGRICULTURE, MAJOR OF THE WETLANDS IN 19TH CENTURY,
PURPOSES AND AQUACULTURE BACKLOG-CONFLICT BETWEEN GOVT AND MASSIVE URBANIZATION HAS OCCURED
LOCAL PEOPLE
WHAT WORKED- LESSONS INSPITE OF
STATE GOVERNMENT IS SOLELY LEARNT- BEING THE
RESPONSIBLE FOR JURISDICTION. OWNERSHIP MOST
OTHER BODIES ARE ONLY ENTITLED RIGHTS TO THE EXPENSIVE
TO GIVE GUIDELINES LOCALS RESTORATION
COMMUNITY BASED MANAGEMENT RESOLVE PROJECT, IT IS
PRACTICES-”BUL” LAW APPLIED ADMINISTRATION UNSUCCESSFUL
CONFLICTS BECAUSE OF BUREAUCRATIC
DISCREPANCIES
EAST KOLKATA WETLANDS
 LOCATION OF EKW
EAST KOLKATA WETLAND :FACTS

MAP OF INDIA MAP OF KOLKATA MAP OF WETLAND

IT HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS A
PRESENT AREA OF COVERAGE-12,500 HAC RAMSAR SITE
LOCATION- LATITUDES 22º25’ TO 22º40’
NORTH AND LONGITUDES 88º20’ TO
88º35’ EAST

CLIMATE- RESEMBLES THAT OF A

TROPICAL CLIMATE WITH AMPLE
SUNSHINE AND VAST WATER REGIME

PROVIDES LIVELIHOOD TO AROUND

60,000 OF THE POOREST PERI URBAN
POPULATION

PROVIDES 80% OF THE FISH AND 60% OF

THE AGRICULTURAL REQUIREMENT OF
THE CITY

IT HAS THE LARGEST WASTE WATER FED SOURCE-INSTITUTE OF WETLAND

MANAGEMENT& ECOLOGICAL DESIGN
AQUACULTURE SYSTEM
 EAST KOLKATA WETLANDS
:THREATS

THREAT OF BEING DELISTED

FROM THE RAMSAR LIST

HUGE LOSS IN AREA

COVERAGE

NEW THE MAJOR PROBLEM

DEVELOPMENT
THE EKW ARE NOT ONLY RICH & BIO DIVERSE ECO
FUTURE
ZONES, BUT ALSO A PART OF THE MAJOR FRAMEWORK
DEVELOPMENT
OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY.
OLD CITY WETLAND BUT THE POBLEM IS THAT THESE FACILITIES HAVE BEEN
S TAKEN FOR GRANTED FOR TOO LONG AND THE
EXTINCTION OF THESE WETLANDS WOULD NOT ONLY
CAUSE ECOLOGICAL HARM BUT ALSO BREAK DOWN THE
WHOLE CITY INFRASTRUCTURE
WETLANDS AS A SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
 CONSERVATION POLICIES
MAIN GOVERNING BODY-
IN EKW
INSTITUTE OF WETLAND MANAGEMENT AND ECOLOGICAL DESIGN SET UP BY THE GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL, INDIA

NEED OF THE DAY-

IN AN EVER EXPANDING METROPOLIS LIKE KOLKATA

AND RECLAMATION IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO
AVOID. LEAVING THE WETLANDS UNTOUCHED IS
HENCE NOT POSSIBLE. WHAT IS REQUIRED IS A
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
AROUND THE WETLANDS WHICH WILL NOT ONLY
SATISFY THE NEEDS OF THE EVER INCREASING CITY
BUT ALSO CONSERVE THE ECOLOGICAL BALANCE OF
THE WETLANDS.

CASE STUDY- MERLIN TROPICAL GREENS

A WEEKEND HOME DEVELOPMENT BY ASAUDP

STRATEGIC LAYING OF THE STREETS SYSTEM

ALLOWED ALL THE WATER BODIES TO BE SAVED AS
WELL AS MAXIMIZING THE PLOTS FACING THE
WATER BODIES.

A BUFFER ZONE WAS DEVELOPED

AROUND THE WATER BODY TO TAKE CARE
OF THE RISE IN WATER LEVELS AS THESE
ACTED AS AREAS FOR RAINWATER
ACCUMULATION.
THE WATER BODIES ACT AS RECREATION
SPACES AS WELL AS CONTRIBUTE TO THE
SUSTAINABLE ECOLOGICAL PLANNING
OTHER MAJOR WETLANDS
 CASE STUDIES OF URBAN WETLANDS

MARSHVIEW PARK,VIRGINIA ROPAR WETLAND REGION, PUNJAB

IT IS AN THE WETLANDS FORM AN

URBAN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
WETLAND ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM IN THE
LOCATED IN LAP OF THE SHIVALIK HILLS IN
THE STATE PUNJAB
OF VIRGINIA
IN USA

OWNED BY US DEPARTMENT OF NAVY SINCE THE MAJOR THREATS-SILTATION, WEEDS, HUMAN

1980S. INTERFERENCE, INDUSTRIALIZATION UPSTREAM,
MAJOR THREAT- SURROUNDING DENSELY UNAUTHORIZED POACHING AND FISHING
POPULATED RESIDENTIAL ZONES
WHAT WORKED- EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY WHAT WORKED- PROPER WETLAND MAPPING,
INVOLVEMENT TO TURN THE WETLANDS INTO A ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT , DETAILED TAXONOMIC
CITY PARK AND A SUSTAINABLE PLANNING STUDY AND REFURBISHING THE ECO SYSTEM
PROCESS
CONCLUSION ORISSA
(800 LAKHS)
MANIPUR
(700 LAKHS)

WB(400
LAKHS)

SOURCE-NWCP
 REFERENCES
NATIONAL WETLAND CONSERVATION PROGRAMME POLICIES

RAMSAR GUIDELINES

UNITED NATIONS HABITAT GUIDELINES

RESEARCH ON ROPAR WETLAND-SWATI DUTTA

RESEARCH ON SUNDARBAN WETLANDS-ANAMITRA ANURAG DANDA

INSTITUTE OF WETLAND MANAGEMENT AND ECOLOGICAL DESIGN

WWW.WIKIPAEDIA.COM

WWW.GOOGLE.COM
WHAT WOULD THE WORLD BE, ONCE BEREFT OF WET AND
WILDERNESS?
LET THEM BE LEFT,
O LET THEM BE LEFT, WILDERNESS AND WET;
LONG LIVE THE WEEDS AND THE WILDERNESS YET.

-GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS

THANK YOU…..