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Wetlands on verge of extinction
THE TRIBUNE
January 18, 2000
SOURCE : http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000118/punjab.htm#11
FAZILKA: The fate of three natural wetlands here remains uncertain in the absence of any mechanism to save them from extinction.
Despite the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) recommendations on saving the wetlands by implementing long-term conservation measures the state government has not yet swung into action.
The three wetlands — Jhangar, Badha and Ganj Bakhash, near here — are among the 32 natural wetlands in the state. These are now on the verge of extinction, mainly due to the development process that has transformed these sites into dry farmlands.
For instance, Jhangar wetland near the Nirmal Checkpost on the international border has been substantially claimed by the local farmers. Although some birds arrive here around this time every year, their number is now declining due to changing ecological conditions. "Not much variety of birds can be seen now", an aged farmer of Nuran village, Khushal Singh, said.
Karnail Singh, a professional fish poacher, laments that his business has been adversely affected on account of the declining species inside water. "We earlier used to refer to it as Chappan (a beating site in local parlance), when the water level was much higher", he recalled.
Even the PSCST report warns that the conservation of these wetlands is essential. Ganj Bakhash is a wetland located at the Sadiqi checkpost near Pakha Chisti village. Interestingly, the site has now shrunk into a small lake, where a few ducks can be seen. No other bird was seen when this correspondent visited the lake, that falls beyond the border fencing. A Border Security Force (BSF) official observed that this could be on account of the movement of civilians, who come here to watch the ceremonial retreat between two countries.
Badha wetland appears to be the worst hit, as it has no sign of natural water. Senior residents recall that Badha remained an attraction for hunters till the late 60s due to the arrival of migratory birds at a vast lake there. However, the area has now been transformed into agricultural fields, while a part of it has been converted into a fish farming pond.
A veteran resident pointed out that the lake had dried up during the late 60s on account of changing ground conditions. An earlier proposal to beautify the lake and make it into a tourist spot has also been put into cold storage, largely due to paucity of funds, an official pointed out.
However, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu, assured of all efforts to retrieve these sites as the natural habitats of migratory birds.
Sources in the PSCST, however, suggest ways and means to engage the local farmers in evolving a mechanism to save the three wetlands. They suggest that the farmers should be given subsidy to implement conservation measures in the areas where the lakes can still be saved from extinction.
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