CONTENTS • Introduction

• What are wetlands?

• Why conserve wetlands? ▪ Functions ▪ Values

• Distribution and extent of wetlands in India

• National Wetland Atlas 2011

• Wetlands of Jammu and Kashmir

• Wetland Rules 2017

• What is the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands? ▪ How Does it Work? ▪ Three Pillars of Ramsar Convention ▪ The Montreux Record ▪ Ramsar Wetlands - India

• Wetlands of International Importance of J&K under Ramsar Convention ▪ Wular Lake ▪ Tsomoriri Lake ▪ Hokersar Wetland ▪ Surinsar and Mansar Lakes

• What Is Adversely Affecting Our Wetlands?

• Wetland Management & Strategy

• What Can You Do?

• Media Update

• Upcoming Events – World Wetlands Day 2018

J&K ENVIS NEWSLETTER State of Environment & its related Issues in J&K

Special focus on RAMSAR SITES OF J&K

October – December 2017

J&K ENVIS CENTRE Department of Ecology, Environment & Remote Sensing Jammu & Kashmir

Volume 4 – Issue 4 ISSN 2455 - 8575

FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK Our organs are vital to our health, with each one playing a significant part. Kidneys, for instance, filter our blood to remove waste and fluid. Wetlands are often referred to as “Earth’s kidneys” because they provide the same functions, absorbing wastes such as nitrogen and phosphorous as well as retaining water on land that prevents flooding in wet years and drought in dry years. This kidney-like action occurs in all varieties of wetland – from a small seasonal wet spot in your neighbour’s field to hundreds of kilometers of bog and peatland wetlands throughout the world. Wetlands being most productive ecosystems serve in multiple ways viz, water transport boating, recreation, traditional reverence, ground water recharge, removal of contaminants, source of vegetables (lotus stem, singhara, etc) source of fish, aquaculture, pearl culture, livelihoods generation, climate regulation, carbon sequestration, etc. However, loss of vegetation, illegal encroachments, garbage dumping, city sewerage, weed infestation, land reclamation as wetlands considered wastelands excessive inundation, land degradation, soil and water pollution, invasive species, excessive development and road building, have all damaged our wetlands. The Gharana and Hokarsar wetlands is reportedly witnessing a decline in visiting migratory bird due to deteriorating ecosystems. Some wetlands have been converted into garbage disposal sites. A number of high altitude lakes in the Pir Panjal Himalayan range seem to have disappeared even before their inventory. Disturbances in wetland ecosystems will end up not only in water crises, crop failure and disordered local socio-economies and major ecological disasters. All these changes accelerated by human interference in the ecological domain are consequently bound to affect one and all. This issue covers the crisp information on wetlands and brings into focus the Ramsar sites in the state.

Om Prakash Sharma, IFS Director

DEE&RS, J&K

INTRODUCTION Wetlands covering about six per cent of the earth surface, are among the world's most productive environments and by providing sufficient water and the primary productivity, they sustain and harbour a vast range of biological diversity. Local and regional importance of wetlands is even more pronounced and pivotal from both ecological and socioeconomic viewpoints. More than three billion people, around half the world's population, obtain their basic water needs from inland freshwater wetlands. The same number of people relies on rice as their staple food, a crop grown largely in natural and artificial wetlands. In some parts of the world, almost the entire local population relies on wetland cultivation for their livelihoods. In addition to food, wetlands supply fibre, fuel and medicinal plants.

WHAT ARE WETLANDS? Wetlands are areas where water is the primary factor controlling the environment and the associated plant and animal life. They occur where the water table is at or near the surface of the land, or where the land is covered by shallow water. ❖ According to most widespread definition wetlands are defined as: "lands transitional between terrestrial

and aquatic eco-systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water".

❖ Ramsar Convention on Wetlands define wetlands as: "areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres".

Five major wetland types are generally recognized: • Marine (coastal wetlands including coastal lagoons, rocky shores, and coral reefs); • Estuarine (including deltas, tidal marshes, and mangrove swamps); • Lacustrine (wetlands associated with lakes); • Riverine (wetlands along rivers and streams); and • Palustrine (meaning “marshy” – marshes, swamps and bogs). In addition, there are human-made

wetlands such as fish and shrimp ponds, farm ponds, irrigated agricultural land, salt pans, reservoirs, gravel pits, sewage farms and canals.

The Ramsar Convention has adopted a Ramsar Classification of Wetland Type which includes 42 types, grouped into three categories:

• Marine and Coastal Wetlands,

• Inland Wetlands, and

• Human-made Wetlands.

Quick Info: Wetlands occur everywhere, from the tundra to the tropics. How much of the earth’s surface is presently composed of wetlands is not known exactly? The UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre has suggested an estimate of about 570 million hectares (5.7 million km2); roughly 6% of the Earth’s land surface; Mitsch and Gosselink, in their standard textbook Wetlands, 4th ed. (2007), suggest 4 to 6% of the Earth’s land surface. Mangroves cover some 240,000 km2 of coastal area, and an estimated 600,000km2 of coral reefs remain worldwide. Nevertheless, a global review of wetland resources prepared for Ramsar COP7 in 1999, while affirming that “it is not possible to provide an acceptable figure of the areal extent of wetlands at a g lobal scale”, indicated a ‘best’ minimum global estimate at between 748 and 778 million hectares. The same report indicated that this “minimum” could be increased to a total of between 999 and 4,462 million hectares when other sources of information were taken into account.

WHY CONSERVE WETLANDS? Access to safe water, human health, food production, economic development and geopolitical stability are made less secure by the degradation of wetlands driven by the rapidly widening gap between water demand and supply. Even with current attempts to maintain water flows for ecosystems, the capacity of wetlands to continue to deliver benefits to people and biodiversity, including clean and reliable water supplies, is declining. Efforts to support water allocation to ecosystems, such as environmental flows, placing upper limits on water allocations, and new water management legislation, must be strengthened. The multiple roles of wetland ecosystems and their value to humanity have been increasingly understood and documented in recent years. This has led to large expenditures to restore lost or degraded hydrological and biological functions of wetlands.

Functions: The interactions of physical, biological and chemical components of a wetland, as part of the “natural infrastructure” of the planet, such as soils, water, plants and animals, enable the wetland to perform many vital functions.

Values: Wetlands frequently provide tremendous economic benefits, including water supply (quantity and quality); fisheries (over two thirds of the world’s fish-harvest is linked to the health of wetland areas); agriculture, through the maintenance of water tables and nutrient retention in floodplains; timber and other building materials; energy resources, such as peat and plant matter; wildlife resources; transport; a wide range of other wetland products, including herbal medicines; and recreation and tourism opportunities. In addition, wetlands have special attributes as part of the cultural heritage of humanity – they are related to religious and cosmological beliefs and spiritual values, constitute a source of aesthetic and artistic inspiration, yield invaluable archaeological evidence from the remote past, provide wildlife sanctuaries, and form the basis of important local social, economic, and cultural traditions. In the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), published in 2006, ecosystems are described as the complex of living communities (including human communities) and non-living environment (Ecosystem Components) interacting (through Ecological Processes) as a functional unit which provides a variety of benefits to people (Ecosystem Services). Included in the term “Ecosystem Services” are provisioning, regulating, and cultural services that directly affect people, and supporting services which are needed to maintain these other services.

A Glimpse of Wetlands in Service of Mankind DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT OF WETLANDS IN INDIA India, with its varying topography and climatic regimes, supports diverse and unique wetland habitats. The available estimates about the areal extent of wetlands in India vary widely from a lowest of 1% to a highest of 5% of geographical area, but do support nearly fifth of the known biodiversity (Space Applications Centre, 2011). These wetlands are distributed in different geographical regions ranging from Himalayas to Deccan plateau. Initial attempts to prepare wetland inventory of India were made between 1980s and early 1990s. As per the: Country report of Directory of Asian Wetlands (Woistencroft et al., 1989); and the Directory of Indian Wetlands 1993 (WWF and AWB, 1993), the areal spread of wetlands in India was around 58.3 m ha. But, Paddy fields accounted for nearly 71% of this wetland area. However, as per the Ministry of Environment and Forests (1990) estimates, wetlands occupy an area of about 4.1 m ha, but it excludes mangroves. The first scientific mapping of wetlands of the country was carried out using satellite data of 1992–1993 by Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad. The exercise classified wetlands based on the Ramsar Convention definition. This inventory estimated the areal extent of wetlands to be about 7.6 m ha. The estimates did not include paddy fields, rivers, canals and irrigation channels. Thus, all these early assessments were marred by problem of inadequate understanding of the definition and characteristics of wetlands.

Water Chestnut, (Trapa bispinosa) Vegetable production & Marketing Nelumbo nucifera (Nadru) produce from Wetlands

Water transport of Goods

Migratory Bird Habitat (Recreation)

Religious importance Tourism

Fishing

Matting Industry Wicker Willow Industry

Water Transport

Water spinach,Nasturtium aquaticumvv (Chabb)

NATIONAL WETLAND ATLAS – 2011 India’s wetland extent as per the latest wetland inventory

Entire Country was considered for assessment and a total of 201,503 wetlands were identified and mapped on 1:50,000 scale (SAC, 2011). In addition, 555,557 wetlands (area inland wetlands accounts for 69%, coastal wetlands 27%, and other wetlands (smaller than 2.25 ha) 4% (SAC, 2011). In terms of average area under each type of wetland, 5 natural coastal wetlands have the largest area. The water spread area 6 of wetlands varies greatly. Overall, inland wetlands have a water spread area of 7.4 m ha in post monsoon and 4.8 m ha in pre-monsoon; and coastal wetlands have 1.2 m ha and 1 m ha in post monsoon and pre monsoon, respectively. Across all categories of wetlands, the water spread area from post monsoon to the peak of summer reduces significantly indicating the uses and losses the wetlands go through. This has major implications for the total water availability of these wetlands and the various functions that they can perform in different seasons. Overall, reduction in water spread area of inland wetlands is highest (35%) followed by that of coastal wetlands (16%). Within inland wetlands, reduction is significantly higher in man-made types (49.5%), such as surface reservoirs and tanks, in comparison to natural types (24%), such as lakes and ponds, as they are under pressure to meet various irrigational and non-irrigational needs and are also subjected to higher evaporation losses. The aquatic vegetation in all the wetlands put together, account for 1.32 m ha (9% of total wetland area) in post monsoon and 2.06 m ha (14% of total wetland area) in pre monsoon. Major wetlands types in which aquatic vegetation occur include lakes, riverine wetlands, ox-bow lakes, tanks and reservoirs. WETLANDS OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR The state of Jammu and Kashmir, having a diverse geographic and climatic makeup, is replete with lakes, wetlands, bogs, swamps etc. of considerably varying physicochemical and biological characteristics. The state of Jammu and Kashmir houses considerably good number of small and large water bodies whereof four also figure among Ramsar-sites list. Among a total of 1230 lakes/wetland listed in the wetlands and water body directory, 415 lies in Kashmir, 150 in Jammu and 665 in Ladakh. Extensive marshes have been also formed in lower areas through catchment drainages, particularly between Srinagar and Sopore – Rakh Asham, Hokersar, Naugam, Shallabugh, Anchar, Soibugh, Narkara, Mirgund, Malgam, Chatlam/Kranchloo are some of the major wetlands of the valley. While as Jammu region has five prominent wetlands namely Pargwal, Gharana, Sangral, Kukrian and Nanga. Tso-moriri Wetland, Chushul-Hanley Marshes of Ladakh are very well known breeding grounds of Black Necked Crane, the state bird of Jammu and Kashmir. The famous ornithologist of India, Salim Ali once remarked “Kashmir is a heaven on earth for migratory birds.” These migratory birds start arriving here from September and stay till the end of February. They keep on oscillating between these water bodies at different times during their stay in Kashmir. Most of the identified and classified waterbodies have not been demarcated on ground as on date and as such large portion of which has been drained and reclaimed for agriculture and settlement purpose. Dal, Wular, Mansar, Surinsar, and Pangong are the only few which attract the attention of one and all. Unfortunately, most of these water bodies face severe threats of varying nature and extent.

WETLAND (CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT) RULES 2017 In a major decision, the union environment ministry notified the new Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017 on Tuesday which prohibit a range of activities in wetlands like setting up and expansion of industries, waste dumping and discharge of effluents. The new rules will replace the 2010 version of the rules. The new rules stipulate setting up of a State Wetlands Authority in each State and union territories that will be headed by the State’s environment minister and include a range of government officials. They will also include one expert each in the fields of wetland ecology, hydrology, fisheries, landscape planning and socioeconomics to be nominated by the state government. These authorities will need to develop a comprehensive list of activities to be regulated and permitted within the notified wetlands and their zone of influence, recommend additional prohibited activities for specific wetlands, define strategies for conservation and wise use of wetlands, and undertake measures for enhancing awareness within stakeholders and local communities on values and functions of wetlands. Wise use is defined as the principle of sustainable uses that is compatible with conservation. The State authorities will also need to prepare a list of all wetlands of the State or union territory a comprehensive digital inventory of all wetlands within one year which will be updated every ten years. The rules prohibit activities like conversion of wetland for non-wetland uses including encroachment of any kind, setting up of any industry and expansion of existing industries, manufacture or handling or storage or disposal of hazardous substances and construction and demolition waste, solid waste dumping, discharge of untreated wastes and effluents from industries, cities, towns, villages and other human settlements.

WHAT IS THE RAMSAR CONVENTION ON WETLANDS? The Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty adopted on 2 February 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea. Thus, though nowadays the name of the Convention is usually written “Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971)”, it has come to be known popularly as the “Ramsar Convention”. Ramsar is the first of the modern global intergovernmental treaties on the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, but, compared with more recent ones, its provisions are relatively straightforward and general.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

• First of all a country joins the Ramsar Convention. With this, it gets itself listed into the international effort for the conservation and wise use of wetlands. Once a country has joined, there are three commitments which it has to fulfill as obligations:

• It has to designate at least one of its wetlands into the List of Wetlands of International Importance called “Ramsar List”. Once that is done, it can later designate more such wetlands.

• The above designation has to be based upon criteria that take into account the ecology, botany, zoology, limnology (freshwater science) or Hydrology. Thus, not every wetland becomes a Ramsar site but only those which have significant values related to these fields.

• The country has to make all efforts for wise use and conservation of the Ramsar Sites in its territory. Being a part of Ramsar convention gives it access to know-how of conservation in different parts of the world.

• If the ecological character of any Ramsar wetland has changed, or is changing or is likely to change as the result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference, it will inform without delay to the Ramsar Secretariat.

• Once this information has been provided to Ramsar Secretariat, it will do the following o Enter the wetland into its Montreux Record (a record for such sites where there has been or likely to be adverse

ecological change) o Send a Ramsar Advisory Mission to the country. This mission will analyse the situation and define how to tackle

the threats to the wetland. o Once the appropriate measures have been taken, the site will be removed from Montreux Record.

• The Ramsar convention also makes the countries cooperate in matters of conservation of the trans-boundary wetlands, shared water systems, and shared or migratory species, and to share expertise and resources with Parties less able to meet their commitments.

THREE PILLARS OF RAMSAR CONVENTION Under the “three pillars” of the Convention, the Contracting Parties commit to:

• work towards the wise use of all their wetlands;

• designate suitable wetlands for the list of Wetlands of International Importance (the “Ramsar List”) and ensure their effective management;

• cooperate internationally on trans boundary wetlands, shared wetland systems and shared species.

THE MONTREUX RECORD The Montreux Record is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference. It is maintained as part of the Ramsar List.

RAMSAR CONVENTION/SITES

• Today, the Ramsar List is the world’s largest network of protected areas.

• More than 2200 wetlands of international importance! They cover over 2.1 million square kilometres, an area larger than Mexico.

• The world’s first Site was the Cobourg Peninsula in Australia, designated in 1974.

• The largest Sites are Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Queen Maud Gulf in Canada; these Sites each cover over 60,000 square kilometres.

• The countries with the most Sites are the United Kingdom with 170 and Mexico with 142.

• Bolivia has the largest area with 148,000 km2 under Ramsar protection.

• The Ramsar Secretariat is hosted under contract by IUCN–International Union for Conservation of Nature in Gland, Switzerland.

• The number of contracting parties is 169 with six Ramsar regions.

• The inclusion of a “Ramsar Site” in the List embodies the government’s commitment to take the steps necessary to ensure that its ecological character is maintained.

• Wetlands included in the List acquire a new national and international status: they are recognized as being of significant value not only for the country or the countries in which they are located, but for humanity as a whole.

• There are nine criteria for identifying wetlands of international importance. The 2nd of February each year is World Wetlands Day, marking the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 Feb 1971.

RAMSAR WETLANDS – INDIA Ramsar sites (Wetlands) in India: State-wise compilation India became a contracting party to the

Ramsar Convention in October 1981 and

designated Chilika Lake (Odisha) and

Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) as it’s

first two Ramsar Sites. Four additional sites

were designated in 1990: Sambhar Lake

(Rajasthan), Loktak Lake (Manipur), Harike

Lake (Punjab) and Wular Lake (Jammu &

Kashmir). Currently, India has 26 Ramsar

Sites as follows:

Sl. No. Wetland name State

1 Kolleru Lake Andhra Pradesh

2 Deepor Beel Assam

3 Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary Gujarat

4 Chandertal Wetland

Himachal Pradesh 5 Pong Dam Lake

6 Renuka Wetland

7 Hokera Wetland

Jammu & Kashmir 8 Surinsar-Mansar Lakes

9 Tsomoriri

10 Wular Lake

11 Ashtamudi Wetland

Kerala 12 Sasthamkotta Lake

13 Vembanad-Kol Wetland

14 Bhoj Wetland Madhya Pradesh

15 Loktak Lake Manipur

16 Bhitarkanika Mangroves Orissa

17 Chilika Lake

18 Harike Lake

Punjab 19 Kanjli

20 Ropar

21 Sambhar Lake Rajasthan

22 Keoladeo National Park

23 Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu

24 Rudrasagar Lake Tripura

25 Upper Ganga River (Brijghat to Narora Stretch) Uttar Pradesh

26 East Calcutta Wetlands West Bengal

■ Ramsar Sites

WETLANDS OF J&K HAVING INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE UNDER RAMSAR CONVENTION The Ramsar Sites of J&K namely Hokersar, Mansar, Surinsar &Tsomoriri are being managed by State Wildlife

Department whereas Wular Lake is being managed by Wular Conservation and Management Authority.

1. WULAR LAKE Location: 34°16’N 074°33’E Ramsar site No.: 461. Date of Declaration: 23/03/1990; Area: 18,900 ha; Located in the Bandipora District of the Jammu and Kashmir Wular Lake is the largest freshwater lake in India with extensive marshes of emergent and floating vegetation, particularly water chestnut, that provide an important source of revenue for the State Government and fodder for domestic livestock. The lake supports an important fishing industry and is a valuable source of water for irrigation and domestic use. The area is important for wintering, staging and breeding birds. Human activities include rice cultivation and tree farming. Wular Lake, an ox-bow type lake, is of fluviatile origin located in the north-west of Kashmir about 35 km from Srinagar city, being formed by the meandering of River Jhelum, which is the main feeding channel besides other tributaries. It plays a significant role in the hydrography of the Kashmir valley not only by acting as a huge absorption basin for floodwaters but also for maintaining flows to support agriculture and hydropower generation as well as sports activities. The lake along with the extensive marshes surrounding is an important habitat for fish, accounting for 60% of the fish production within the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The lake is largely shallow, with a maximum depth of 5.8m, the deeper part being on the western side opposite the hills of Baba Shakur Din. The lake is drained in the northeast by the only single outlet in the form of River Jhelum. The catchment of the lake is comprised of slopping hills of the Zanskar ranges of the western Himalaya on the northeastern and northwestern sideswhich drain their runoff through various nallahs, where Erin and Madhumati are prominent. On the eastern and southern sides are the lowlying areas of Sonawari which used to get inundated almost every year until numerous criss-crossing embankments were constructed along River Jhelum. The lake area thus reclaimed has in the recent past been brought under cultivation of paddy and plantations of willow, poplar, and fruit trees. On the western side in the Sopore-Watlab section, low-lying areas have also been brought under paddy cultivation. In 1986, the lake was designated as wetland of national importance under the Indian Government Wetlands Programme

2. TSOMORIRI LAKE Location: 32°54'N 078°18'E. Ramsar site no.: 1213 Date of Declaration: 19/08/2002. Area: 12,000 ha. A freshwater to brackish lake lying at 4,595m above sea level, with maximum depth of 110m near the center. On the north and east sides, the lake is bounded by rolling hills of the Tibetan cold desert, whereas the western side is bordered by steeper peaks exceeding 5,500m.The Tso Morari is a land locked lake and is fed by several springs and glacial streams originating from high mountain glaciers. The major tributaries to the lake include the Gyoma in the Northern end entering the lake through pasture land at Peldo Le, Korzuk in the North western side and Phersey stream which flows in southwest into the lake, creating a wide, sloping plain or fan, crisscrossed by small rivulets which eventually drain into the lake. The area is characterized by an arid, cold desert climate. The summer temperature ranges from 0° to 30°C, falling between -10° and - 40°C in winter (Mishra and Humbert-Droz, 1998). The lake is ice-covered from January to March. The mean annual precipitation in the region is about 100mmwith wet meadows and borax-laden wetlands along the shores. The site is said to represent the only breeding ground outside of China for one of the most endangered cranes, the Black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis), and the only breeding ground for Bar-headed geese in India. The Great Tibetan Sheep or Argali (Ovis ammon hodgsoni) and Tibetan Wild Ass (Equus kiang) are endemic to the Tibetan plateau, of which the Changthang is the westernmost part. The barley fields at Korzok have been described as the highest cultivated land in the world. With no outflow, evaporation in the arid steppe conditions causes varying levels of salinity. Ancient trade routes and now major trekking routes pass the site. The 400-year-old Korzok monastery attracts many tourists, and the wetland is considered sacred by local Buddhist communities and the water is not used by them. The local community dedicated Tsomoriri as a WWF Sacred Gift for the Living Planet in recognition of WWF-India's project work there. The rapidly growing attraction of the recently opened area to western tourists (currently 2500 per summer) as an "unspoilt destination" with pristine high desert landscapes and lively cultural traditions brings great promise but also potential threats to the ecosystem. The wetland provides rich pastures for domestic livestock. The marshes and pasturelands around the lake are grazed by domestic and nomadic livestock. These high altitude pasturelands of Changthang are historically the home of Pashmina goat and main centre for production and supply of Pashmina wool from these areas to the Indian plains and Kashmir valley. Several species of Ungulates and big herds of Kiang also depend on these pasturelands for grazing.

3. HOKERSAR WETLAND Location: 34°05'N 074°42'E. Ramsar site no.: 1570 Date of Declaration: 08/11/05 Area: 1,375 ha The Hokersar wetland reserve, a renowned waterfowl reserve, lies around 10 km west of Srinagar on Srinagar- Baramulla highway, on the banks of the Jhelum River. It is approachable by National Highway 1-A leading to Baramulla-Uri sector with snow draped Pir Panchal looming in its backdrop (1,584m asl) a natural perennial wetland contiguous to the Jhelum basin, it is the only site with remaining reed beds of Kashmir and pathway of 68 waterfowl species like Large Egret, Great Crested Grebe, Little Cormorant, Common Shelduck, Tufted Duck and endangered White-eyed Pochard, coming from Siberia, China, Central Asia, and Northern Europe. It is an important source of food, spawning ground and nursery for fishes, besides offering feeding and breeding ground to a variety of water birds. Typical marshy vegetation complexes inhabit like Typha, Phragmites, Eleocharis, Trapa, and Nymphoides species ranging from shallow water to open water aquatic flora. Sustainable exploitation of fish, fodder and fuel is significant, despite water withdrawals since 1999. Potential threats include recent housing facilities, littered garbage, and demand for increasing tourist facilities.The wetland is roughly oval in shape and is contiguous with villages of Zainakot, Khushipora and Hajibagh to the east. The wetland is bounded in the north by Srinagar flood-plains of river Jehlum. To the south, it extends upto the human habitation of village Soibugh, while the temporary wetland of Rakh- arth under the control of Lakes and Waterways Development Authority of Jammu and Kashmir state borders the wetland towards south-west direction and to the west, it is bounded by village Gund-Khalil. The wetland has a long history of over a century and was a shooting resort of the then Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu & Kashmir state. The wetland has successively been under the administration of (1) department of Twaza (Hospitality and Protocol) and Game and Fisheries department till 1947 and it was notified as a state Rakh in the year 1945 (2) Department of Game when Fisheries wing was separated from it till 1973 (3) It was again back to Game and Fisheries department till 1979 (4) Department of Wildlife Protection from 1979 onwards. The wetland has been notified vide cabinet order No: 710/ c of 1945 (G.G) dated July-17-1945 by the then state government. Late Ghulam Ahmed Bakshi, the then Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir State, raised the peripheral bund at the time of Maharaja in 1960. The wetland has been classified as wetland type 14, because of the type of wetland habitat present, i.e. freshwater marshes. Given its value in maintaining livelihoods and ecological balance, Hokersar was identified by the National wetland committee as one of the 16 important wetlands in 1987 for drawing up a management action plan and is currently a wetland reserve. The wetland is a permanent natural marsh fed by a perennial stream of Doodganga which makes its way into it after passing through the village Hajibagh situated on its southeast. Another stream namely Sukhnag enters into the area near village Narbal located on northwest, which ultimately directly drains into the Doodganga near Sozeith village just behind the existing needle gate. The lake is drained by a channel to the Jehlum river at Sozeith Narbal village.

4. SURINSAR & MANSAR LAKES Location: Surinsar Lake : 32° 46’ 16” N, 75° 2’ 28” E

Mansar Lake : 32° 41’ 52” N, 75° 8’ 40” E Ramsar site No.: 1573. Date of Declaration: 08/11/2005 Area: Surinsar Lake - 30.5 ha and Mansar Lake - 58 ha Surinsar-Mansar Lakes, (a Ramsar site) located in the winter capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, is one of the major natural resources in the Jammu region, it comprise of Freshwater composite lake in sub-tropical Jammu Shivaliks with catchment of sandy conglomeratic soil, boulders and pebbles. Surrounded by thickly wooded mountain ranges, it is a Hindu sacred site for pilgrimage and also picnic spot. The Surinsar Mansar Wildlife Sanctuary is nestled in the midst of both the lakes and supports 3 mammalian species and 15 avifauna species including crane. Owing to their origin to the Mahabharata period, these lakes are separated by an aerial distance of 10 km representing the typical micro-climate of the area. Therefore, they are treated as two components of one composite wetland. Mansar lake is formed on a structural high called as an Anticline in geological parlance. Anticline means an arch of rocks with its high turned upwards. Same is true for its sister lake called as Surinsar, situated Northwest of Mansar lake. The core of this anticline has a number of fractures or faults, including cross-faults. It is these fractures or faults which have resulted in spring activity in the lake basins (Mansar and Surinsar) yielding perennial source of lake waters. Most of the lake waters are coming from below, welling up as copious springs along the fracture planes, in what is called as artesian conditions. The Mansar Lake is a semi-oval shaped water body having an average width of 680 m and a depth of 37.8 m. The Surinsar Lake is also oval shaped having max. depth of 24.04m max. length of 888 m and a breadth of 444 m. Other than this Surinsar is also rain-fed without permanent discharge, and Mansar is fed by surface runoff and partially by mineralized water through paddy fields with inflow increasing in rainy season. Both lakes form an ideal habitat and breeding ground for many endangered and threatened species (CITES and IUCN Redlisted) avifauna and aqua fauna like Trionyx gangeticus (Indian softshell turtle), Geocleny hamiltoni (black pond turtle) and Mansariella lacustris (mansar medusa). This composite lake is high in micro nutrients for which makes it is an attractive habitat, breeding and nursery ground for migratory waterfowls like Fulica atra, Gallinula chloropus, Podiceps nigricollis, Aythya fuligula, and various Anas crecca etc. The site is socially and culturally very important with many temples around owing to its mythical origin from the Mahabharata period. Newlywed couple circumambulate the lake to seek blessings of Sheeshnag (Lord of serpents). Although the lakes support variety of fishes, fishing is discouraged for religious values.

WHAT IS ADVERSELY AFFECTING OUR WETLANDS? Water bodies of our state have always served as enchanting recreational areas and a major economic resource, but in recent times these water bodies have been under constant threat of environmental degradation due to natural as well as anthropogenic activities. Although the high altitude Lakes are free from encroachment, weed infestation, domestic wastes, but they are subject to the anthropogenic invasion by way of using its immediate catchment for grazing of livestock and trekking and camping sites. The wetlands are facing the maximum brunt of population explosion. The emissions from the peripheries with settlements, horticulture and agriculture activities are critical factor to the longevity of these waterbodies. Some of the major environmental threats to the wetlands and their biodiversity are: Hydrologic Alterations: A wetland’s characteristics evolve when hydrologic conditions cause the water table to saturate or inundate the soil for a certain amount of time each year. Any change in hydrology can significantly alter the soil chemistry and plant and animal communities. Common hydrologic alterations in wetland areas include:

• Wetland Encroachment for various purposes. • Dredging and stream channelization for navigation, development, and flood

control.

• Siltation

• Hydrological diversions of flow to or from wetlands.

• Addition of impervious surfaces in the watershed, thereby increasing water and pollutant runoff into wetlands.

Pollution Inputs: Although wetlands are capable of absorbing pollutants from the surface water, there is a limit to their capacity to do so. The primary pollutants causing wet-land degradation are sediment, fertilizer, human sewage, animal waste, road salts, pesticides, heavy metals, and selenium. Pollutants can originate from many sources, including:

• Disposal of raw sewage and domestic wastes into the waterbody.

• Municipal Solid Waste and Polythene disposal

• Runoff from urban, agricultural, silvicultural, and mining areas.

• Air pollution from cars, factories, and power plants.

• Old landfills and dumps that leak toxic substances.

• Open defecation and sanitation.

• Marinas, where boats increase turbidity and release pollutants. Vegetation Damage: Other activities that can impair wetland vegetation include:

• Grazing by domestic animals.

• Introduction of non-native plants that compete with natives.

• Burning of wetland vegetation.

• Un controlled weed infestation

• Over exploitation of lake resources

Willow Plantation

Solid Waste

Dumping

site - Achan

Pollution after paying obeisance Dumped old boats choking wetlands

Burning of Wetland Vegetation

Weed Infestation

Garbage dumping on Wetland peripheries

Sewerage and Drainage into Wetlands

Landfilling on Wetlands

WETLAND MANAGEMENT & STRATEGY Appropriate management and restoration mechanisms need to be implemented in order to regain and protect the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of wetland ecosystems & ensure maintenance of all functions and characteristics of the specific wetland type. To achieve the goal, a management strategy by undertaking following targets may be put in place.

• Demarcation of the lake area

• Reduction of nutrients entering the lakes

• Siltation control

• Selective de-weeding

• Creation buffer zones

• Regulation of anthropogenic activities around the demarcated corridor of the water body.

• Effective sewage treatment

• Upgrading recreational potential

• Interaction and cooperation among various departments

• Regular water quality monitoring

• Development of water quality database

• Awareness on wetland eco-services STEPS TO BE TAKEN ON PRIORITY

• Immediate demarcation on ground.

• Immediate ban on land conversion/construction.

• Effective solid waste management.

• Ban on burning of wetland vegetation.

• Effective surveillance by wildlife protection department/protection force Wetlands are also considered valuable for their aesthetic appeal and their recreational and educational values, making it imperative that the public participate in wetland management and protection. Here are some things you can do:

• Conserve and restore wetlands on your property.

• Support local wetlands and watershed protection initiatives by donating materials, time, or money.

• Work with your local municipalities and state to develop laws and ordinances that protect and restore wetlands.

• Encourage neighbors and developers to protect the function and value of wetlands in your watershed.

• Avoid wetland alteration or degradation during project construction.

• Maintain wetlands and adjacent buffer strips as open space.

• Reduce the amount of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides applied to lawns and gardens.

• Community conservation by designating it as sacred water body based on religious faith can lead to the protection of wetland/waterbody.

(Temple dedicated to water deity Baba Bhaid on the Banks of River Tawi Fish (Tor putitora) supposed as incarnation of Deity Baba Bhaid son of Vasuki Nag)

THREE LAKH MIGRATORY BIRDS THRONG KASHMIR VALLEY SRINAGAR, NOVEMBER 28, 2017 11:43 IST Migratory birds are seen flying over Kashmir's wetland Hokersar, 16 km north of Srinagar. The winged visitors start arriving in the valley towards the first week of November The gloomy winter landscape of the Kashmir Valley has come alive with a myriad of colours with the arrival of three lakh winged visitors from as far as Central Asia and Europe after arduous efforts by the Wildlife Department to restore their natural habitat. Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Brahminy Duck, Garganey, Greylag Goose, Mallard, Common Merganser, Northern Pintail, Common Pochard, Ferruginous Pochard, Red-Crested Pochard, Ruddy Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Common Teal, and Eurasian Wigeon are some of the most sighted birds in the wetlands of Kashmir. The winged visitors start arriving in the valley towards the first week of November as Kashmir presents them a comparatively hospitable alternate habitat compared

to the extreme freezing conditions in their natural habitats in Siberia, China, Japan and other countries in northern hemisphere, an official of the Wildlife department said. “We have recorded around three lakh bird arrivals in the wetlands of Kashmir so far. This is very good number as the concentration of migratory birds will peak around first week of February,” Wildlife Warden (Wetlands) Roauf Zargar said. More birds are likely to arrive in the next 45 days as the temperature is expected to drop in some of the places where these birds come from. The birds — which feed on insects, worms and fish in these water bodies — present a beautiful picture, changing the colour of the valley landscape.The Wildlife department took a series of steps to restore the natural habitat of these birds which were threatened by encroachments, unscientific waste disposal and noise pollution interfering with the ecosystem of the wetlands. The floods in Kashmir in 2014 had threatened the winter escapade of migratory

birds as the September deluge that year brought with it a layer of oil which settled over the water in the Hokersar wetland, causing enormous damage to the ecosystem of the wetland. The wildlife staff had to drain out the water with oily layer before letting in fresh streams of water to ensure that the visiting birds do not face any difficulty in finding food.Noise pollution caused by rapid urbanisation around the wetlands, however, continues to be a an irritant as it is putting off the visiting birds.“Noise of all kinds causes disturbance to the birds. This can lead to the birds finding alternate places to spend the winters in,” Zargar said.To tackle the more obvious threat of poaching, the department has set up squads to maintain vigil around the wetlands of Kashmir. “We have so far recovered four guns from Wullar area. We have also set up teams to keep an eye on any poaching attempts not only within the wetlands but even in the areas surrounding them,” Zargar added. The birds start a long distance flight from various places like Siberia, China and Japan in the month of October in view of freezing temperatures, which makes food scarce for them in their natural summer habitats. Besides Hokersar, the migratory birds flock the Wullar lake and other wetlands like Hygam, Shallabugh and Mirgund in surrounding areas, bringing cheer to bird watchers of the valley. GHARANA WETLAND A JEWEL ON JAMMU’S CROWN, NONE CAN AFFORD TO LOSE IT: DB JAMMU, Dec 4 2017: Daily Excelsior: Mohinder Verma CJ astonished to see wanton encroachment, raises many questions Seeks Old Revenue Record to Ascertain Extent of Shrinkage Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed and Justice Sanjeev Kumar today dubbed Gharana wetland as a jewel on Jammu’s crown and said that none can afford to lose it by shutting eyes towards its continuous shrinkage. Moreover, it was made clear that High Court will play its role in ensuring restoration of pristine glory of the water body, which is abode for unimaginable number of bird species from different parts of world particularly Siberia. The DB also sought old revenue record to ascertain the exact area of the wetland and its shrinkage before passing the appropriate orders for its preservation that too without affecting the genuine rights, if any, of the people residing in its vicinity. When the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) titled Rattan Singh Versus State of J&K and Others and application filed by villagers of Gharana came up for hearing, Additional Advocate General Rohit Kapoor submitted that Wildlife Department has come up with power point presentation about the Gharana wetland in compliance to the previous directions of the court. Accordingly, in the presentation made by the Wildlife Department, from the archival maps and Satellite Images of 2005, 2010, 2013 and 2016 prepared by Department of Ecology, Environment & Remote Sensing, were shown on the projector in the court room indicating the extent of encroachment of wetland located near the International Border with Pakistan in R S Pura tehsil of Jammu district. It was revealed how the natural passage of the wetland was reduced from vast area to mere a drain because of wanton encroachments made by the people living in the vicinity of the wetland. On this, the Chief Justice said, “it is an admitted fact that some steps are required to be taken to preserve this wetland before it vanishes completely”, adding “we can restore the actual area of the water body by initiating steps under the laws which also includes giving compensation to the villagers”. After going through some more maps placed before it, the DB sought the old revenue record to arrive at the conclusion about the exact area of the wetland. I&FC PROPOSES MULTI-CRORE PROJECT TO RESTORE HOKERSAR WETLAND Srinagar: December 30, 2017: Nazir Gillo After years of official indifference, the state government has finally woken up to preserve Hokersar wetland, the convergence point of tens of thousands of migratory birds in Kashmir. The makeover-project of around Rs 57 crore has been proposed to restore one of the most famous but neglected wetlands in Kashmir. Commissioner cum secretary, irrigation and flood control department, M Raju told Kashmir Reader that dredging of lake and removal of encroachments are among several works that will be carried out under the proposed project. “We have sent the proposal to planning department two months ago. We are waiting for the approval and once we receive it, we will contract out the project so that the work starts as early as possible,” Raju said.Officials at the department say that the project was developed following unabated pollution, siltation and encroachments by locals and weeds over-lapping lake compelling them to intervene in order to preserve the lake that serves as the resting place to more than 3 lakhs migratory birds. “We wanted to dredge the lake much before but the lake being as a place for migratory birds, there were some objections. This became main impediment in any of such intentions of department,” the official said. Situated about 10 kilometres north of Srinagar, the Hokersar wetland is spread over an area of more than 7.6 square kms that includes a swathe of marshy lands. As per the reports, the wetland has witnessed encroachments ranging over more than 1,600 Kanals over the last 25 years.“With the proposed project, we hope that the glory this wetland had in the past, is restored,” official said.

KASHMIR’S DWINDLING WULAR LAKE THREATENS LIVELIHOOD By Athar Parvaiz ON 12/09/2017 With the water bodies shrinking in size due to encroachment and in depth due to siltation, Kashmiri livelihoods are at stake. Fishing and other rural communities that have traditionally depended on Wular Lake are now struggling to earn a living from it, as shrinkage, siltation and ecological degradation take a toll on Kashmir’s largest flood basin. When 67-year-old Mohammad Subhan Dar fished in Wular Lake in his youth, fish were abundant in the expansive lake tucked in the lap of lush green mountains in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district. The fish, Dar and other villagers said, have almost vanished now. “As compared to the past, fish turnout in Wular has gone down considerably,” Dar old VillageSquare.in. Earlier a fisherman could catch up to 15 kg of fish in a single day. “These days if a person catches even five kg in a day, we call him the king of Wular,” said Dar.For thousands of Kashmiris living on the fringes of its water bodies, fishing, besides collection of water chestnut and fodder have been their sources of livelihood for a long time. But with the water bodies shrinking in size due to encroachment and in depth due to siltation, their livelihoods are at stake. The main reason for Wular losing its erstwhile glory is the heavy siltation in the lake, “If the government takes steps to prevent further siltation of the lake and takes away the silt which has already settled in, I’m sure Wular will not only get a new life, but will also give livelihood support to far more people than it currently does,” The Jammu & Kashmir government has charted out a program for the conservation of the lake. Irfan Rasool, a forest conservator, who looks after the lake restoration work being carried out by the state government’s Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA), said that the lake would soon be de-silted. There are plans to remove over two million willow trees from the lake, to achieve hydrological and ecological balance. The government needs to start an extensive afforestation program in the catchment areas of River Jhelum’s tributaries (Jhelum feeds the Wular Lake) “We are starting the work as part of the Rs 4,000 million Wular Conservation Project in September this year,” Rasool said, and added confidently that WUCMA was on its way to conserving the lake “for all times to come.” JAMMU AND KASHMIR: 718 PEOPLE BOOKED FOR ENCROACHMENT ON WATER BODIES, WETLANDS PTI May 28, 2017 18:30:11 IST Jammu: A large number of wetlands and water bodies in Jammu and Kashmir has been encroached upon, posing a serious threat to biodiversity. The state government has said that 718 people have encroached upon 422 acres of wetlands in Kashmir Valley. To retrieve water bodies from encroachers, the state forest department has initiated various measures. It has registered more than 400 cases against encroachers. In Jammu, 1,510 acres of land has been encroached upon as the Jammu Development Authority is yet to demarcate 6,818 acres of land, meant for development, given to it in 1973. Several water bodies, too, have been encroached upon in the past few decades, Nodal Officer and Chief Conservator of Forest (Eco Tourism and Wildlife) M P Dogra said in a report. Various factors such as migration of labourers and nomads, rapid urbanisation and movement of people from rural areas to Jammu city have led to large-scale encroachment. Temporary settlements have come up along the banks of nullahs and ravines, he said. The report states that encroachers have also attempted to grab major ponds at Patoli Mangotrian, Paloura and Upper Paloura areas in Jammu. But these attempts were foiled the civic body. In Kashmir Valley, five wetlands have been identified where encroachments have been recorded by the wildlife department and the revenue authorities, Dogra said. He said that 718 people have encroached 422 acres in five wetlands — Hokersar, Hygam, Mirgund, Chattlum and Fresh Kori — in the valley. Giving details, he said 381 encroachers have grabbed parts of Hokersar wetland, followed by 212 in Mirgund wetland and 125 in Hygam wetland. The Hokersar Lake, which attracts migratory birds from various parts of the world, is facing a threat from massive encroachments.As per the report, three major wetlands of Shallabug, Chanthang-Pangong Tso and Tsomoriri, spread on an area of 398 square kilometres in Ladakh region, have also recorded encroachments. Wildlife and revenue authorities have prepared lists and cases have been registered. In Srinagar, the total area of Dal-Nageen Lake has shown a decrease from 25.86 square kilometres to 25.76 square kilometres in 2009 as per satellite imagery, the report said. In Jammu, all the encroachments are being removed and FIRs being registered against the encroachers, the report said. The forest department is also contemplating dredging operations in the wetlands in Kashmir, a proposal for which has been submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change under the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA). Measures for prevention of pollution to Wular lake through scientific techniques are also envisaged in the plan. The Rs 34.04 crore plan will also have provisions for enhancement of sustained livelihood of dependent communities, including fishermen. Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology Choudhary Lal Singh said on Sunday that over 2,801.23 hectares of forest land of total recorded encroachment of 14,345 hectares has been retrieved in the past three years.

ABOUT WORLD WETLANDS DAY World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on 2nd February to raise global awareness about the value of wetlands for humanity and the planet. It also marks the date of adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar. World Wetlands Day was celebrated for the first time in 1997. THEME - WORLD WETLANDS DAY 2018 Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future is the theme for World Wetlands Day in 2018. URBAN WETLANDS Urban wetlands make cities liveable in many important ways. They reduce flooding, replenish drinking water, filter waste, provide urban green spaces, and are a source of livelihoods. These wetland benefits grow ever more crucial as the number of people living in cities has now passed the 4 billion mark and continues to rise. By 2050, 66% of humanity will live in cities, as people move into urban areas searching for better jobs. Unfortunately, most people are unaware of the value and importance of urban wetlands. In fast-growing cities, wetlands are often viewed as wasteland; places to dump rubbish, fill in or convert to other uses. Scientists estimate that at least 64% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1900, while in parallel, cities have exploded in growth. World Wetlands Day 2018 aims to raise awareness about how urban wetlands contribute to the future of sustainable cities. KEY MESSAGES

• Urban wetlands make cities liveable by providing multiple benefits such as; flood control, water supply, waste treatment, green space and livelihoods.

• Urban wetlands should be integrated into a city’s sustainable future planning and development; not viewed as wasteland.

• Cities should adopt policies and actions which help conserve and promote urban wetlands. ACTIONS Urban planners and decision-makers face a practical dilemma: how to meet the increasing demand for land in cities while still preserving the natural environment. Urban wetlands play a vital role in making cities safe, resilient and sustainable; the aims of SDG 11.

• Restore urban wetlands

• Organize community wetland clean-ups

• Involve local residents in wetland planning

• Integrate wetlands into policy and planning

SNEEK - PEEK • WWD2017: Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction • WWD2016: Wetlands for our Future: Sustainable Livelihoods • WWD2015: Wetlands for our Future • WWD2014: Wetlands and Agriculture • WWD2013: Wetlands and water management • WWD2012: Wetlands and tourism • WWD2011: Wetlands and forests • WWD2010: Wetlands, biodiversity and climate change • WWD2009: River basins and their management • WWD2008: Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People • WWD2007: Fish for tomorrow? • WWD2006: Livelihoods at risk • WWD2005: There's wealth in wetland diversity - don't lose it! • WWD2004: From the mountains to the sea -- Wetlands at work for us • WWD2003: No wetlands - no water! • WWD2002: Wetlands: Water, Life, and Culture • WWD2001: Wetland world - A world to discover! • WWD2000: Celebrating Our Wetlands of International

Importance • WWD1999: People and wetlands - The vital link • WWD1998: Water for wetlands, wetlands for water • WWD1997: The first World Wetlands Day

J&K ENVIS CENTRE Department of Ecology, Environment & Remote

Sensing, Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir

Summer (May to Oct) Bemina, S.D.A. Housing Colony, Srinagar - 190018 Phone: 0194-2494585

Winter (Nov to Apr) Paryavaran Complex, Gladeni Narwal, Jammu - 180006 Phone: 0191-2474553

Visit us as at: www.jkenvis.nic.in

Email us as at: jk-env@nic.in, jkenvis@rediffmail.com

Om Prakash Sharma, IFS Director

Majid Farooq

ENVIS Coordinator

Gowhar Meraj Programme Officer

Amreena Yousuf Information Officer

Gurmeet Singh IT-Officer

(Montgomerie’s Map showing extent of Wetlands and Waterbodies in 1859 compared with satellite image of

September 2014 showing Kashmir valley in floods)

Declaration The literature, photographs and data presented in this newsletter is from various secondary sources. We thank all the authors and workers whose work has been used in the compilation of this newsletter. The sole purpose of this newsletter is the dissemination of the knowledge already done by different workers at a common platform to common people who don’t have access to scientific literature.

1859 2014

Dal Lake

Wular Lake

Srinagar

This newsletter of JKENVIS is published by Department of Ecology, Environment & Remote Sensing, J&K. Feedback for the newsletter would be appreciated.