February 2 is observed as the World Wetland Day. The day is observed for protection and conservation of wetlands. There is very little awareness on the importance of wetlands and lack of seriousness for their protection, both in the Government and public levels. Government officials take the day as a routine programme. At present, the wetlands of the State are under threat due to anthropological reason, mismanagement of nature and natural resources.
This year, the Chilika Maschyajibi Mahasangha in collaboration with “Nirman”, a State level NGO, the Environment Change and Government Group (ECGG), the University of Waterloo, Canada and Too Big to Ignore (TBTI) Partnership, Canada, is planning to organise a programme for proper scientific management of Chilika lagoon, which is praiseworthy. There is no doubt that the future of Chilika is certainly bleak and uncertain. So, the Maschyajibi Mahasangha has taken the right steps to develop awareness of the people of the locality and to observe the wetland.
The February 2 programme is going to be observed under the caption “Chilika: Our future, our responsibilities”. This is a beautiful concept of the members of these organizations, who have voluntarily taken the stands to protect, conserve and manage the vast ecological system of marine origin of the globe. When the future of the people of the region depends on the second largest lagoon eco systems of the globe, the Maschyajibi Mahasangha has taken correct measures at right moment for proper scientific management of the estuarine eco-system.
As per the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, the wetlands are the transitional zones between permanently aquatic and dry terrestrial ecosystems. A wide variety of wetlands like marshes, swamps, open water bodies, mangroves, tidal flats and salt marshes etc exist in our country. The wetlands are considered life support systems and provide a wide range of services critical to human development and well-being.
In Asia, a major civilisation has evolved in the river valleys and wetlands. Despite their immense use to human well-being, wetlands are the most threatened and rapidly degrading ecosystems. There are always biotic and abiotic threats of varied nature to all types of wetlands.
Habitat destruction and encroachments through draining and land fill.
The habitat destruction is very common in Chilika.
Due to extensive soil erosion in watershed and catchment, various water channels and rivers arising from Eastern-Ghat range, the world famous lagoon wetland is very rapidly silted up. These channels are feeder channels of Chilika. There are 52 rivers and rivulets draining into the lake, whose catchment area is 3,560 sqkm. These waters-shed and catchment areas are to be conserved as protected areas.
Aquatic resources of every wetland are decreasing because of over-exploitation of fish etc and loss of habitats. Chilika is the example of such exploitations and shrinkage of habitats.
Now right from small to big, all wetlands are polluted by industrial wastes and garbage. The towns and cities are also growing fast in the banks of rivers and water bodies which spoil the natural character of the aquariums. Also now the plastic menace becomes more and more dangerous for very existence of wetlands in sound forms. In case of Chilika, although there is no mega industry nearby, but different kinds of wastes of the townships and fish processing factories, including hotel garbage, are drained into the lagoon and spoil the natural function of the nature’s mega aquarium.
It is admitted that the situation of all wetlands of our State and country are in the natural process of siltation through the agencies of rain, water and wind. This can be controlled by raising shelter belts and wind breaks. The Chilika Maschyajibi Mahasangha is the right forum to meet the challenges.
The health of Chilika and other wetlands is gravelly polluted and poisoned by fertilisers and pesticides which cannot be over-looked. The agricultural cultivable lands are surrounded from all sides of Chilika, where the chemical fertilisers and pesticides are largely utilized for raising modern agriculture. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides ultimately come to the lagoon and damage the ecological system of nature. At present, rampant prawn cultivation is going on in Chilika, where different chemical feeds and medicines are utilized for growing prawn at fast rate, which go against nature. The entire water body of Chilika is spoiled due to unlimited use of pesticides and fertilisers. Such types of uses of chemical fertilisers and pesticides spoil the entire “food-chain” of the ecological systems. Not only Chilika, but also everywhere such practices are going on for cultivation of “fresh-water” fishes, which is very dangerous not only to human beings but also dangerous for kinds of creatures.
The Government of India has framed a rule called the Wetlands (conservation and management) Rules 2009 under the provision of the Environmental Protection Act, 1986. So, all the wetlands of the State, either natural or artificial, should be brought under the provisions for proper conservation and management of the same. The wetlands like Bhitarakanika mangroves and Chilika lake are only two wetlands of Odisha regulated by the Central Wetlands Regulatory Authority. In spite of that, the coastal highway has been approved, which is going to damage the sanctity of the biosphere. Once the vehicular activities will rise, the sound pollution as well as the light pollutions will also rise. The migratory birds which are coming from far away horizons as Iran, Afghanistan, Siberia and the Himalaya during winter for passing winter severity and for nesting will not prefer to come to the geo-biological garden of nature and avoid interference. The lagoon is famous for Irrawaddy dolphins, but their population is reducing very fast due to pollution of habitats and mismanagement of ecosystems. The species like “Dugong” has been getting extinct from the eco system since long. This is the indication how the ecosystem is degrading from its sustainability.
On January 26 and 27, the Bird Festival of Chilika was observed by the tourism organisations of the State in collaboration with the Chilika Development Authority and the State Forest Department wildlife wing. It is a good sign that the people are more and more attracted to this bio-aesthetic garden of nature to pass time. But it is learnt that the population of migratory birds is getting reduced as before. The reasons of such loss of migratory birds are to be studied. The bird is a reason, which disturbs the ecological behaviour of the avifaunas and aquatic animals. The economy of over 20,000 households around 150 villages depends upon the lagoon. The water spread area of the lagoon is 1,165 sq km and total area of the island is 223 sq km. The lagoon is of great value in preserving the habitats of flora and fauna.
(The writer is a former forest officer and environmentalist. 9937460649 (M), Email: nadiya.kanungo@gmail.com)