Category: Wetlands

2024: Approach to Restore Bengaluru Lakes
Wetlands

2024: Approach to Restore Bengaluru Lakes

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(Feature Image: -Doddakallasandra Lake on Kanakapura Road in Southern Bengaluru. Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K/ The Hindu/Jan. 2025)

The lakes in Bengaluru have often been in the news for the froth, fish kills, encroachments and pollution related issues and the year 2024 has been no different amid growing concerns and govt attempts to restore them. In fact, despite NGT orders and huge amount spent by the govt, the restoration works of Bellandur, Varthur, Yele Mallappa Shetty, Madiwala and Hosakerehalli lakes have not been completed.

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Mumbai Civil Society Efforts to Protect Mangroves, Wetlands
Wetlands

Mumbai Civil Society Efforts to Protect Mangroves, Wetlands

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(Feature Image: On World Migratory Bird Day, May 11, 2024, green groups formed a human chain to protest against the ‘deliberate destruction’ of flamingo homes – wetlands. Source: FPJ)

Like previous years, several civil society groups in Mumbai have continued their remarkable efforts dedicated towards protection and conservation of the mangroves and wetlands throughout 2024. While their untiring efforts have met with some successes, given the hostile agencies and increasing developmental pressures the threats to mangroves and wetlands continue to increase. Despite growing challenges, their undying spirit offers inspiration to other civil society groups in the country. This report tracks the top ten developments regarding the subject beginning with broader issues impacting the future of mangroves and wetlands in the city and the documenting specific cases of DPS Flamingo Lake, Ulwe, Nerul, Kharghar, Panje and other wetlands.

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World Wetlands Day 2025: Ten Positive Stories from Urban India
Wetlands

World Wetlands Day 2025: Ten Positive Stories from Urban India

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(Feature Image: Dharmesh Barai, who leads the NGO Environment Life Foundation (ELF), began the “Mangrove Clean-Up Drive” on August 15. Source: TIE)

This compilation highlights ten positive efforts put in to protect the lakes, waterbodies and mangroves in urban India by individuals and environmental groups during 2024. The top ten stories come from five metros: Delhi (3), Mumbai (2), Bengaluru (2), Chennai (2) and Kolkata (1). We are sure such positive actions also happened in other cities in 2024, but we could not find them.

We have also compiled the top ten positive wetlands reports from the countryside here. Also see overviews on the worsening plight of Ramsar wetlands, deteriorating situation of wetlands in India in general and some important judicial interventions concerning protection and management of wetlands in the country that have taken place during the past one year. 

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World Wetlands Day 2025: Top Ten Positive Actions & Reports
Wetlands

World Wetlands Day 2025: Top Ten Positive Actions & Reports

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(Feature Image: Villagers plant mangrove saplings in an island off Kudikadu village in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district. Credit: The Print)

Marking the World Wetlands Day 2025, this article carries top ten positive reports from 2024 on protection and conservation of wetlands in India. The overview highlights some remarkable steps taken by individuals, community groups, governments for restoration of wetlands, lakes, waterbodies and mangroves in the country during the past year. We have also published three overviews on the issue including the situation of Ramsar wetlands, other wetlands and important judicial decisions regarding management of wetlands in the country.

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World Wetlands Day 2025: More Judicial Decisions, Less Actions by Govts
Wetlands

World Wetlands Day 2025: More Judicial Decisions, Less Actions by Govts

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(Part of a marsh land already covered by residential buildings in Asan river basin in Dehradun being filled up further in May 2024. BS Rawat/SANDRP)

In third part of annual overview, we compile top ten judicial decisions taken during 2024 by various courts regarding protection and conservation wetlands in India. The first part of the overview has covered the looming threats on Ramsar sites and the second part has highlighted the deteriorating condition wetlands in the country.

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WWD 2025: Failing to Protect Wetlands for Common Future
Wetlands

WWD 2025: Failing to Protect Wetlands for Common Future

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(Feature Image: Machhi Talab in Dehradun chocked by solid waste, vegetion in May 2024. BS Rawat/SANDRP)

While we celebrate World’s Wetlands Day 2025 with theme of “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future”, the top ten reports from 2024 show that the plight of wetlands in India remains miserable making the future of the waterbodies and dependent people uncertain. While govts continue to be lethargic in identifying and notifying the wetlands in the country, the govts initiated developmental plans, projects are further making them vulnerable to extinction. Amid this the threats from encroachment, siltation, pollution and climate change are only increasing. Also see the first part of the overview highlighting the deteriorating situation of Ramsar wetlands in India. 

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Rewalsar Lake: Where Faiths, Ecosystems and Communities Meet
Beas · Culture · Fish Sanctuaries · Wetlands

Rewalsar Lake: Where Faiths, Ecosystems and Communities Meet

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Rivers and lakes of the Indus basin have been at the crossroads of civilizations, trade routes, and ecosystems for centuries. They are surrounded by stories and songs from many religions, languages and tribes. One such river is Beas, celebrated as Vipash[1] or the ‘breaker of chains’ in the Rigveda, circa 1500 BC. Beas originates at 4361 meters near Rohtang Pass[2] and flows through the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh before meeting River Sutlej in the plains of Punjab, literally “the land of five rivers’. Beas flows for about 470 kms to water some of the most fertile valleys in the world.

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World Wetlands Day 2025: Govts Projects, Apathy Damaging Ramsar Wetlands
Wetlands

World Wetlands Day 2025: Govts Projects, Apathy Damaging Ramsar Wetlands

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(Feature Image: A road is being laid allegedly by a private realtor inside the Perumbakkam marshland. Photo Credit: TNIE, June 2023)

‘Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future’ is the theme for World Wetlands Day 2025. Wetlands are ecosystems, in which water is the primary factor controlling the environment and the associated plant and animal life.

Indian government seems focusing more on increasing Ramsar wetlands number than ensuring the protection and conservation the existing Ramsar sites in country. Over the past one decade the numbers of Ramsar wetlands in India have sharply gone up from 26 in 2014 to 89 as of January 2025. Amid the thrust to increase the number, several existing or even recently declared Ramsar wetlands across the country have been facing multiple threats mainly due to governmental projects and constant negligence from the concerned authorities as can be seen from the reports from 2024 in this annual overview.

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Controversial Road Project Threatens Bhopal’s Bhoj Wetlands, Forest & Wildlife
Wetlands

Controversial Road Project Threatens Bhopal’s Bhoj Wetlands, Forest & Wildlife

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(Feature Image: Statue of great Parmar King Raja Bhoj in Upper lake in Bhopal. Bhim Singh Rawat/SANDRP, May 2023)

The Bhoj wetlands in Bhopal city is one of the oldest man-made lake in Asia. The waterbody is a fountainhead of environmental services and a designated Ramsar wetlands site. Despite this, the wetlands eco-system has been facing gradual degradation on account of growing encroachments, pollution[i] and extravagant tourist projects. Amid this, a new road project cutting through the catchment area of Bhoj wetlands and forest land around Bhopal city has raised alarm bells among concerned citizens who term its unnecessary and suggest better options as win-win solution.

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WWD 2024: Citizens Efforts to Protect Wetlands & Mangroves in Mumbai
Wetlands

WWD 2024: Citizens Efforts to Protect Wetlands & Mangroves in Mumbai

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(Feature Image: Navi Mumbai Environmentalists Rally Against CIDCO’s Neglect Of Protected Chanakya Lake. Source: FPJ, Jan. 2024)

The citizen groups in Mumbai including Vanshakti, Save Navi Mumbai Environment Group, NatConnect, Environment Life Foundation and others have for years been making significant efforts to save the remaining wetlands and mangroves in and around Mumbai from ill-conceived developmental projects and abuses. During 2023 they continued their mission through peaceful protests, filing RTIs, writing letters to all concerned and even approaching courts to protect every single piece of wetlands and mangroves in and around the city. They have got some successes and even faced many dead-end situations but carried on the cause of wetlands and mangroves. This report compiles top ten mangroves and wetlands development from Mumbai region along with highlighting the persistent efforts of the citizen groups.

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