Harike Wetland - Wetland Degradation

Wetland Degradation

The wetland which is in existence since 1953 underwent changes over the years due several factors, some of which are:

• Encroachments on the wetland habitat for intensive agriculture with resultant effluents of agricultural chemicals and also controversial encroachments.
• Utilization of surface and ground waters for irrigation
• Effluent discharge of untreated waste from towns and villages from industrial, urban and agricultural activities into the rivers which feed the wetland resulting in extensive weed growth (Water Hyacinth) in the wetland (polluted water discharged was reported to be about 700 Million Liters per day (mld)
• The profuse growth of water hyacinth had covered 80 per cent of the open water surface resulting in the 33 islands getting enclosed.
• Soil erosion and siltation due to deforestation of the fragile lower Shivalik hills which form the catchment of the wetland
• Illegal fishing and poaching in spite of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
• Indiscriminate grazing in the catchments resulting in damage to the wetland ecology
• A remote sensing study of the Wetland area coupled with the analysis of rainfall, discharge and ground water level showed that the flow pattern had diminished and the size of wetland area had reduced by about 30%, over a 13 years study period.
• The ecological crisis had reached such a stage that environmentalists estimated lifespan of the wetland to be discreasing.