Major Threats to Wetlands in India
Wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth, often referred to as the “kidneys of nature” because they purify water, support biodiversity, regulate floods, and provide livelihoods to millions. India has a rich diversity of wetlands — including lakes, rivers, marshes, mangroves, estuaries, lagoons, and man-made reservoirs — covering around 4.6% of its geographical area.
However, wetlands in India are under severe pressure due to human and natural factors. Their degradation poses serious threats to ecology, biodiversity, water security, and climate resilience.
Below are the major threats to wetlands in India:
1. Encroachment and Land Use Change
- Urbanisation, agriculture, and industrial expansion have led to large-scale encroachment of wetland areas.
- Many urban wetlands like Sambhar Lake (Rajasthan) and Bellandur Lake (Bengaluru) have been drastically reduced in size or polluted beyond recovery.
- Wetlands are often seen as wastelands and converted into housing colonies, roads, or farmlands.
Example: In cities like Delhi and Hyderabad, over 50% of wetlands have disappeared due to real estate development.
2. Pollution from Domestic and Industrial Sources
- Wetlands are heavily polluted due to:
- Untreated sewage
- Solid waste dumping
- Chemical effluents
- Pesticides and fertilizers from agriculture
- This leads to eutrophication, where excess nutrients cause rapid growth of algae, depleting oxygen and killing aquatic life.
Example: The famous Dal Lake in Srinagar and Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad have suffered major ecological damage due to pollution.
3. Overexploitation of Resources
- Wetlands are overused for:
- Fishing
- Water extraction for irrigation and drinking
- Sand mining
- Harvesting aquatic plants
- This disrupts the natural water balance and harms biodiversity.
Example: Overfishing in Chilika Lake (Odisha) affects fish stocks and local livelihoods.
4. Invasive Plant Species
- Invasive species like Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and Prosopis juliflora choke wetlands, reduce oxygen levels, and degrade habitat quality.
- These species outcompete native vegetation, reduce biodiversity, and obstruct water flow.
Example: Water Hyacinth has severely affected wetlands in Assam, Bihar, and West Bengal.
5. Climate Change and Altered Hydrology
- Irregular rainfall, frequent droughts, flash floods, and rising temperatures caused by climate change are impacting wetland ecosystems.
- Wetlands dry up prematurely or are flooded excessively, disturbing their seasonal patterns.
- Glacial melt and sea-level rise also affect high-altitude wetlands and coastal wetlands like mangroves.
Example: Wetlands in the Sundarbans delta face rising salinity due to sea-level rise.
6. Infrastructure Development
- Construction of dams, roads, highways, and railways often cut across wetland areas, fragmenting and draining them.
- River regulation projects, such as embankments or diversions, reduce the water flow into associated wetlands.
- This affects wetland hydrology and connectivity.
Example: The construction of dams on the Teesta River has affected wetlands in Sikkim and West Bengal.
7. Lack of Legal Protection and Weak Enforcement
- Although India has laws like:
- The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017
- Environment Protection Act, 1986
- Many wetlands are still not officially notified or mapped, and enforcement is weak or absent.
- Ramsar Sites are better protected, but thousands of other wetlands receive no attention.
8. Cultural Neglect and Decline in Traditional Knowledge
- Communities once had traditional systems to manage wetlands (like sacred groves, village tanks, harvesting limits), but these have declined.
- With the spread of modern land-use practices, wetlands are now seen as commercially exploitable rather than community assets.
9. Tourism and Unregulated Recreation
- Popular wetlands attract tourists, but unplanned tourism leads to:
- Littering
- Noise pollution
- Construction of resorts and roads
- This disturbs bird habitats, destroys vegetation, and pollutes water bodies.
Example: Loktak Lake (Manipur) is under threat from excessive tourism and development pressure.
10. Agricultural Runoff and Siltation
- Runoff from chemical-laden fields carries fertilisers and pesticides into wetlands.
- Over time, soil erosion from nearby lands causes siltation, making wetlands shallow and reducing their water-holding capacity.
Conclusion
Wetlands are critical ecosystems that support biodiversity, purify water, mitigate floods, and provide livelihoods. Yet, they face multiple threats from human activities, climate change, pollution, and neglect.
To protect wetlands, India must adopt a multi-pronged approach that includes:
- Strict enforcement of wetland protection rules
- Community participation in wetland conservation
- Promotion of eco-friendly tourism
- Restoration of degraded wetlands
- Education and awareness campaigns
Wetlands are not wastelands — they are natural assets. Their conservation is essential for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for ensuring the ecological security and water sustainability of the nation.