WETLANDS IN INDIA

Wetland helps in supporting directly and indirectly millions of people

in India including supply of clean water and food, fibre and raw
materials. There are 19 different types of wetlands in India. It includes
mangroves, high-altitude lakes, marshes and ponds. It covers an
estimated 3 percent of India's land area. The wetlands are under
threat from developmental activities and population pressure. Water
pollution and dumping of waste are some of the major threats to
wetlands and birds in India.
Wetlands are also important as resting sites for migratory birds. The
conservation of wetland is important and essential in India for
sustainable food production and availability of water for people and
other creatures. Restoration of wetlands will be very difficult once it is
used for other activities. There are many wetlands that have no legal
status, they also need protection and conservation of them is also
important.
Wetlands losses are happening due to deforestation in wetlands,
agriculture, watersheds, depletion of ground water etc.
Wetlands in India occupy 58.2 million ha, including areas under wet
paddy cultivation (Directory of Indian Wetlands).
Area Estimates of Wetlands of India (in million ha)
Area under paddy cultivation 40.9
Area suitable for fish culture 3.6
Area under capture fisheries (brackish and freshwater) 2.9
Mangroves 0.4
Estuaries 3.9
Backwater 3.5
Man-made impoundments 3.0
Rivers, including main tributaries (28,000 km)
Canals and irrigation channels (113,000 km)
Total Area of Wetlands(Excluding Rivers) 58.2
(Source: Directory of Asian Wetlands, IUCN, 1989)
Wetlands in India
Name Area
Ashtamudi Wetland Kerala (19/08/02)
Bhitarkanika Mangroves Orissa (19/08/02)
Bhoj Wetland Madhya Pradesh (19/08/02)
Chandra Taal Himachal Pradesh (08/11/05)
Chilika Lake Orissa (01/10/81)
Deepor Beel Assam (19/08/02)
East Calcutta Wetlands West Bengal (19/08/02)
Harike Wetland Punjab (23/03/90)
Hokersar Wetland Jammu and Kashmir (08/11/05)
Kanjli Wetland Punjab (22/01/02)
Keoladeo National Park Rajasthan (01/10/81)
Kolleru Lake Andhra Pradesh (19/08/02)
Loktak Lake Manipur (23/03/90)
Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary Gujarat (24/09/12)
Point Calimere Wildlife and Tamil Nadu (19/08/02)
Bird Sanctuary
Pong Dam Lake Himachal Pradesh (19/08/02)
Renuka Wetland Himachal Pradesh (08/11/05)
Ropar Punjab (22/01/02)
Rudrasagar Lake Tripura (08/11/05)
Sambhar Lake Rajasthan (23/03/90)
Sasthamkotta Lake Kerala (19/08/02)
Surinsar-Mansar Lakes Jammu and Kashmir (08/11/05)
Thrissur Kole Wetlands Kerala, (08/11/05)
Tsomoriri Jammu and Kashmir (19/08/02)
Upper Ganga River Uttar Pradesh (08/11/05)
(Brijghat to Narora Stretch)
Vembanad-Kol Wetland Kerala (19/08/02)
Wular Lake Jammu and Kashmir (23/03/90)Wetland helps in supporting
directly and indirectly millions of people
in India including supply of clean water and food, fibre and raw
materials. There are 19 different types of wetlands in India. It includes
mangroves, high-altitude lakes, marshes and ponds. It covers an
estimated 3 percent of India's