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Wetlands Classification
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- Inland wetland
(i) Natural – Lakes/ Ponds, Ox-bow Lakes, Waterlogged, Swamp/marsh
(ii) Man Made – Reservoirs Tank, Ash pond
- Coastal Wetland
(i) Natural – Coral reef, Tidal flat, Mangroves, Salt marsh, Estuary, Lagoon, Creek, Backwater, Bay
(ii) Man Made – Salt pans, Aquaculture
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Functions of Wetlands
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- Wetlands serve as vital habitats for a wide range of aquatic plants, animals, and bird species.
- They play a crucial role in filtering sediments and excess nutrients from surface water, recycling essential nutrients, and naturally purifying water.
- Ground water recharging, Buffer shorelines against erosion.
- Floods mitigation, Genetic reservoir for various species of plants (rice)
- The National Lake Conservation Programme (NLCP) considers lakes as standing water bodies which have a minimum water depth of 3 m, generally cover a water spread of more than ten hectares, and have no or very little aquatic vegetation.
- Wetlands (generally less than 3 m deep over most of their area) are usually rich in nutrients (derived from surroundings and their sediments) and have abundant growth of aquatic macrophytes.
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India’s Wetland
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- Wetlands occupy 18.4% of the country’s area of which 70% are under paddy cultivation.
- Inland wetlands > Coastal Wetlands
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National Wetlands Conservation Programme (NWCP)
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- NWCP was implemented in the year 1985-86.
- Under the programme, 115 wetlands have been identified by the Ministry which require urgent conservation and management interventions.
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Aim
- Conservation of wetlands to prevent their further degradation and ensuring their wise use for the benefit of local communities and overall conservation of biodiversity.
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Objectives
- To lay down policy guidelines for conservation and management of wetlands in the country.
- To provide financial assistance for undertaking intensive conservation measures in the identified wetlands.
- The Central Government is responsible for overall coordination of wetland conservation programmes and initiatives at the international and national levels. It also provides guidelines, financial & technical assistance to the state govt.
- State Governments / UT Administration are responsible for management of wetlands and implementation of the NWCP for ensuring their wise-use.
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Criteria for identification of Wetlands of National Importance
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Criteria for identification of wetlands of national importance under NWCP are same as those prescribed under the ’Ramsar Convention on Wetlands’ and are as given below:
1. Sites containing representative, rare or unique wetland types: Example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region.
2. Criteria based on species and ecological communities
- If it supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species; or threatened ecological communities.
- If it supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region.
- If it supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions.
3. Specific criteria based on water birds
- If it regularly supports 20,000 or more water birds.
- If it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of water birds.
4. Specific criteria based on fish
- If it supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life history stages, species interactions and/or populations that are Representative of wetland benefits and/or values and thereby contributes to global biological diversity.
- If it is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend. Specific criteria based on water/life and culture
- It is an important source of food and water resources, increased possibilities for recreation and ecotourism, improved scenic values, educational opportunities, conservation of cultural heritage (historic or religious sites).
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