RECOMMENDATIONS

Setting up a National committee on wetlands, reclamation, restoration and development to enable formulation of a National policy on Wetlands and for their sustainable use. To create a database with regard to their present status, sustainable use, management and conservation.
Integration of different government departments for wetland conservation. Lakes and rivers in each zilla panchayat to be identified and their streams to be recharged through people’s participation. Setting up of people’s watchdog teams to prevent dumping of wastes into water bodies.
Preparation of a comprehensive plan to study selected representative wetlands in a phased manner.
Mass awareness programmes on importance of rivers and wetlands. A comprehensive plan to study aquatic biodiversity in inland aquatic bodies and CES to be entrusted to co-ordinate at National and International level.
Ownership and legal status of lakes and inhabitants around it to be properly defined. Training courses for the public to undertake restoration works. Fishermen socio-economic status to be considered before formulating a wetland strategy.

A recent study at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, shows that links between some of the tanks in Bangalore have been lost. Tanks were built in Bangalore along valleys. Water from each tank in the valley flows to other tanks in the downstream.

The study done by using remote sensing data and GIS techniques by R S Deepa and Dr T V Ramachandra shows that because of encroachments of two water bodies, links between Yelchenahalli Kere and Madivala has been lost. Similar is the case of the links between Bellandur and Ulsoor due to the conversion of Challaghata tank tank into a golf course. Experts feel that this can result in further wetland loss and degradation.

February 2 is ‘World Wetlands Day’. The day marks the signing of the ‘Ramsar Convention’, an inter-governmental treaty to protect and conserve wetlands. The treaty was signed on this day in 1971 and is named after the seaside city of Iran. It is also called as the ‘Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as waterfowl habitats’. The day is celebrated all over the world to promote awareness among public about the importance of wetlands and their judicious use.

This treaty has played an important role in conserving wetlands by increasing the government participation. More than 550 wetlands throughout the world are protected under this treaty and considered as ‘Ramsar sites’ (Internationally important wetlands). India is also a party to this treaty.

It is known that wetlands in Bangalore and elsewhere in the State are deteriorating. Karnataka has about 2,187 perennial and 29,588 seasonal tanks. Many of which can be treated as wetlands by the general definition given by Ramsar convention. Inspite of their potential as reservoirs of water and life, wetlands in the State, especially urban centres are being used for dumping garbage, discharge of sewage and slowly converted to housing sites.

Recently, wetland experts from all over the country and abroad deliberated in Bangalore on how to restore lakes and wetlands. The three-day symposium titled ‘ Lake-2000’ was organised by Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES) of Indian Institute of Science along with Karnataka Environment Research Foundation, Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology and others. A series of recommendations which calls for actions to be taken at both the policy level and ground level were put forth by the experts.