Wetlands

Wetlands Overview 2018: North India – No Land for Wetlands

Wetlands are critical part of hydrological systems. They provide multiple ecological services to people living in proximal areas. The invisible contribution of wetlands in saturating aquifers and checking groundwater depletion is essential given the growing water scarcity. Additionally, wetlands are home to a variety of plants and animals species making them fully functional and self-sustaining eco-system. Despite the environmental significance and associated support services, wetlands have been subjected to degradation for past many decades.

As part of annual exercise, SANDRP is presenting overview on the status of wetlands over past one year. The overview focuses on incidents of abuse and threats to wetlands across the country. The report also highlights the details of central and state governments’ initiatives and administration actions taken aiming at wetlands protection. Apart from this, there is attempt to throw some light on judicial intervention and ongoing court cases regarding wetlands conservation.

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Dams · DRP News Bulletin

DRP News Bulletin 18 June 2018 (Why this Onslaught of Big Dam Advocacy by CWC Ideologues?)

In a recent article Ashwin B Pandya, Former, Chairman Central Water Commission (CWC) refuses to acknowledge either the adverse impacts of dams or the better option of using groundwater aquifer for storing water. And thus making unscientific arguments against dam decommissioning and for dams. No one is talking of removal ALL dams as the author seems to postulate and then dismiss it as impossible and irresponsible.

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Dams · Wetlands

Haryana Wetlands Review 2017: Urbanization Taking Over Basai Wetland

All through 2017, Basai Wetland has been in news following Haryana Government plan to build a Construction and Demolition (C&D) plant in its close proximity. Activists, Birders left no stone unturned to oppose the plant. They approached National Green Tribunal (NGT) and even wrote to Haryana State Government to identity it as important wetland. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) also blamed Haryana Government for being negligent towards the cause of wetlands and asked it to give Basai legal protection by declaring it a protected wetland. All these efforts went futile and in sad turn of events, NGT, on 10 January 2018 revoked its stay over construction of the C&D plant thus closing the doors of hope for Basai wetlands and dependent eco-system.

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