Save Pallikaranai lake (Chennai) and support in getting it declared as a Ramsar Site
Save Pallikaranai lake (Chennai) and support in getting it declared as a Ramsar Site
The Issue
Pallikaranai wetland is being encroached on by the state as well as private bodies, which has reduced the size of the wetland. Moreover, the lake has been converted to a dump yard, affecting the ecosystem of the site. Therefore, we would like to appeal to save Pallikaranai lake from further exploitation and help in getting it declared as a Ramsar site.
Significance of the Pallikaranai Lake
Pallikaranai lake is a freshwater marshland located in Chennai, which is the only surviving wetland in the city. The wetland has a geographical area of 80 square km and is one of the 94 wetlands identified under the National Wetlands Conservation and Management Programme (NWCMP), which is run by the Indian government. The swamp acts as a bridge between the land and the sea (Bay of Bengal). It also serves as a reservoir of water, which can be used for irrigation and other purposes. The wetland ecosystem acts as a shock absorber during natural calamities like floods and storms, which reduces the loss of life and property during such disasters. Moreover, the marshland prevents soil erosion and helps in minimizing the rain-water surface run-off.
The lake is very rich in biodiversity. The marshland ecosystem supports around 337 plant and animal species. Pallikaranai lake is home to 115 bird species, ten mammal species, 46 fish species, and seven butterfly species. The region also supports endangered species like Russell's viper, glossy ibis, pheasant-tailed jacana. The site also serves as a breeding ground for over 40,000 migratory birds.
The current situation and decade long history of exploitation
The present-day situation is the result of decade long exploitation of the site and attributable to its usage as a dumping ground. The geographical area of the wetland has reduced by 90% in the past sixty years due to the expansion of the city. It all started in the 1980s when the city's waste was dumped at the site. As the city grew in size, the dumping area also increased, and the wetland area started to shrink at an alarming rate. According to a report by Anna University, the marshland is emitting around 8.4 gigatons of methane annually, which is a greenhouse gas (GHG). The proliferating dumping site is primarily the source of GHG. In 2011, a fire in the opposite land spread to the marshland, which lasted for around seven hours.
The groundwater quality in the surrounding areas is also getting worse every day as the waste is dumped into the wetland. Three city sewage treatment plants located near the marshland are dumping around 54 million litres per day of sewage into the marsh. There has been a decline in flora and fauna species as well over the years. There has been a sharp reduction in migratory birds as well because of the dump yard. The local community, especially children and old people, are suffering from various fatal diseases. The wetland is also losing its capacity to absorb water because it is clogged with garbage, which is evident from the 2015 Chennai floods.
The government stance
Instead of taking actions to decrease the encroachments, the government bodies have allowed various infrastructure projects like the construction of new roads, building and railway stations, which has led to further shrinking of the wetland. The Tamil Nadu forest department has also applied for declaring the wetland as a Ramsar site. However, the state government is delaying the process to encroach on as much land as possible. The state government's various actions, like outlay of Rs 50 million for conservation in 2012, or eco-restoration work with a budget of Rs 150 million, have not yielded any positive results.
Efforts of some Organizations to restore Pallikaranai:
Care Earth Trust – This NGO has played a vital role in protecting and has made many bold steps in restoring Pallikaranai marshland. They has proposed an adaptive comprehensive management plan taking into consideration both people and nature. The NGO recommends setting up of digital boards, depictive murals, viewing decks and towers connected through walkways, night-vision cameras and camera traps to monitor and educate about the issue.
Environmentalist Foundation of India- EFI works in motivating people and inviting volunteers to participate in the cleaning up and restoration of lakes. They run a campaign called Lakes of India trying to educate people and involving them in working towards their restoration.
Some of the awareness video campaigns by EFI towards Pallikaranai are:
What is a Ramsar site?
A Ramsar site is a wetland site which holds an international importance and which falls under Ramsar Convention. Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty under UNESCO, which provides for the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. For any place to be a Ramsar site the particular country in which the wetland is present should identify and look whether the land falls under the eligibility criteria and then initiate the process of promoting it to be Ramsar. Currently in India there are nearly 41 Ramsar sites.
Why Pallikaranai should be made a Ramsar Site?
Pallikaranai Marshland satisfies seven out of nine eligibility criteria, while only one criteria is sufficient to get the Ramsar tag.
Criteria 1: It contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region -> Yes
Criteria 2: It supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities -> Yes
Criteria 3: It supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region ->Yes
Criteria 4: It supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions ->Yes
Criteria 5: It regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds -> Yes
Criteria 6: It regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of water-bird -> No
Criteria 7: It supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages, species interactions thereby contributes to global biological diversity -> Yes
Criteria 8: It is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend -> Yes
Criteria 9: It regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian animal species -> No
By identifying this marshland as a Ramsar site, there can be many advantages like;
Funding: The site would get funds from the central government which would be utilised for the protection and conservation of the diverse ecosystem of the lake
Continuous Monitoring: A Ramsar site is continuously monitored by international policy makers, which ensures the conservation and protection of the site
Awareness: The Ramsar tag would help increase public awareness about the issue and people would be more vocal against the exploitative use of resources
Future Responsibilities: Government of India and the Tamilnadu state government can work together to conserve the lake and allow higher sustainable uses of the site. Further encroachment for the construction of land and industries can also be stopped.
Through this petition we would like to take help of some local activists in Chennai and spread awareness among people about the issue. We would also urge people to understand the need to take some immediate measures to maintain their surroundings and try to protect these old marshlands. Water is the main source and acts habitat for many living beings, marshlands are also equally important.
We request Government of India and Tamilnadu State Governments to take sufficient measures to preserve and restore the marshland, and more importantly, declare it as a Ramsar site.
“The wildlife and it’s habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will...” - THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Please show your support and sign this petition.
Petition endorsed by:
1: Mr. Debadityo Sinha, Recipient- The Sanctuary Wildlife Service Award 2019, Managing Trustee- Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation
2. Prof. Sandeep Pandey, Ph.D., UC Berkeley; Visiting Faculty, IIM Ahmedabad, Social Activist, Ramon Magsaysay Award Winner
3. Mr. Mahesh Pandya, Paryavaran Mitra, Activist (Ahmedabad)
Petitioners:
1. Bandavath Achyutha, Class of 2021, IIM Ahmedabad
2. Rakesh Roshan, Class of 2021, IIM Ahmedabad
3. Shyam R, Class of 2021, IIM Ahmedabad
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallikaranai_wetland
https://chennai.citizenmatters.in/how-international-tag-can-help-save-pallikarnai-marshland-14057
401
The Issue
Pallikaranai wetland is being encroached on by the state as well as private bodies, which has reduced the size of the wetland. Moreover, the lake has been converted to a dump yard, affecting the ecosystem of the site. Therefore, we would like to appeal to save Pallikaranai lake from further exploitation and help in getting it declared as a Ramsar site.
Significance of the Pallikaranai Lake
Pallikaranai lake is a freshwater marshland located in Chennai, which is the only surviving wetland in the city. The wetland has a geographical area of 80 square km and is one of the 94 wetlands identified under the National Wetlands Conservation and Management Programme (NWCMP), which is run by the Indian government. The swamp acts as a bridge between the land and the sea (Bay of Bengal). It also serves as a reservoir of water, which can be used for irrigation and other purposes. The wetland ecosystem acts as a shock absorber during natural calamities like floods and storms, which reduces the loss of life and property during such disasters. Moreover, the marshland prevents soil erosion and helps in minimizing the rain-water surface run-off.
The lake is very rich in biodiversity. The marshland ecosystem supports around 337 plant and animal species. Pallikaranai lake is home to 115 bird species, ten mammal species, 46 fish species, and seven butterfly species. The region also supports endangered species like Russell's viper, glossy ibis, pheasant-tailed jacana. The site also serves as a breeding ground for over 40,000 migratory birds.
The current situation and decade long history of exploitation
The present-day situation is the result of decade long exploitation of the site and attributable to its usage as a dumping ground. The geographical area of the wetland has reduced by 90% in the past sixty years due to the expansion of the city. It all started in the 1980s when the city's waste was dumped at the site. As the city grew in size, the dumping area also increased, and the wetland area started to shrink at an alarming rate. According to a report by Anna University, the marshland is emitting around 8.4 gigatons of methane annually, which is a greenhouse gas (GHG). The proliferating dumping site is primarily the source of GHG. In 2011, a fire in the opposite land spread to the marshland, which lasted for around seven hours.
The groundwater quality in the surrounding areas is also getting worse every day as the waste is dumped into the wetland. Three city sewage treatment plants located near the marshland are dumping around 54 million litres per day of sewage into the marsh. There has been a decline in flora and fauna species as well over the years. There has been a sharp reduction in migratory birds as well because of the dump yard. The local community, especially children and old people, are suffering from various fatal diseases. The wetland is also losing its capacity to absorb water because it is clogged with garbage, which is evident from the 2015 Chennai floods.
The government stance
Instead of taking actions to decrease the encroachments, the government bodies have allowed various infrastructure projects like the construction of new roads, building and railway stations, which has led to further shrinking of the wetland. The Tamil Nadu forest department has also applied for declaring the wetland as a Ramsar site. However, the state government is delaying the process to encroach on as much land as possible. The state government's various actions, like outlay of Rs 50 million for conservation in 2012, or eco-restoration work with a budget of Rs 150 million, have not yielded any positive results.
Efforts of some Organizations to restore Pallikaranai:
Care Earth Trust – This NGO has played a vital role in protecting and has made many bold steps in restoring Pallikaranai marshland. They has proposed an adaptive comprehensive management plan taking into consideration both people and nature. The NGO recommends setting up of digital boards, depictive murals, viewing decks and towers connected through walkways, night-vision cameras and camera traps to monitor and educate about the issue.
Environmentalist Foundation of India- EFI works in motivating people and inviting volunteers to participate in the cleaning up and restoration of lakes. They run a campaign called Lakes of India trying to educate people and involving them in working towards their restoration.
Some of the awareness video campaigns by EFI towards Pallikaranai are:
What is a Ramsar site?
A Ramsar site is a wetland site which holds an international importance and which falls under Ramsar Convention. Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty under UNESCO, which provides for the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. For any place to be a Ramsar site the particular country in which the wetland is present should identify and look whether the land falls under the eligibility criteria and then initiate the process of promoting it to be Ramsar. Currently in India there are nearly 41 Ramsar sites.
Why Pallikaranai should be made a Ramsar Site?
Pallikaranai Marshland satisfies seven out of nine eligibility criteria, while only one criteria is sufficient to get the Ramsar tag.
Criteria 1: It contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region -> Yes
Criteria 2: It supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities -> Yes
Criteria 3: It supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region ->Yes
Criteria 4: It supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions ->Yes
Criteria 5: It regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds -> Yes
Criteria 6: It regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of water-bird -> No
Criteria 7: It supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages, species interactions thereby contributes to global biological diversity -> Yes
Criteria 8: It is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend -> Yes
Criteria 9: It regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian animal species -> No
By identifying this marshland as a Ramsar site, there can be many advantages like;
Funding: The site would get funds from the central government which would be utilised for the protection and conservation of the diverse ecosystem of the lake
Continuous Monitoring: A Ramsar site is continuously monitored by international policy makers, which ensures the conservation and protection of the site
Awareness: The Ramsar tag would help increase public awareness about the issue and people would be more vocal against the exploitative use of resources
Future Responsibilities: Government of India and the Tamilnadu state government can work together to conserve the lake and allow higher sustainable uses of the site. Further encroachment for the construction of land and industries can also be stopped.
Through this petition we would like to take help of some local activists in Chennai and spread awareness among people about the issue. We would also urge people to understand the need to take some immediate measures to maintain their surroundings and try to protect these old marshlands. Water is the main source and acts habitat for many living beings, marshlands are also equally important.
We request Government of India and Tamilnadu State Governments to take sufficient measures to preserve and restore the marshland, and more importantly, declare it as a Ramsar site.
“The wildlife and it’s habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will...” - THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Please show your support and sign this petition.
Petition endorsed by:
1: Mr. Debadityo Sinha, Recipient- The Sanctuary Wildlife Service Award 2019, Managing Trustee- Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation
2. Prof. Sandeep Pandey, Ph.D., UC Berkeley; Visiting Faculty, IIM Ahmedabad, Social Activist, Ramon Magsaysay Award Winner
3. Mr. Mahesh Pandya, Paryavaran Mitra, Activist (Ahmedabad)
Petitioners:
1. Bandavath Achyutha, Class of 2021, IIM Ahmedabad
2. Rakesh Roshan, Class of 2021, IIM Ahmedabad
3. Shyam R, Class of 2021, IIM Ahmedabad
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallikaranai_wetland
https://chennai.citizenmatters.in/how-international-tag-can-help-save-pallikarnai-marshland-14057
401
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Petition created on 13 December 2020