India's Ramsar sites under threat
Wednesday, January 13, 1999

India's Ramsar sites under threat

January 13, 1999

The Times of India

Problems of various kinds seriously affect the wetlands in the country that have been designated as Ramsar sites. These include Chilka (Orissa), Harike (Punjab), Sambhar (Rajasthan), Wular (J&K), Bharatpur (Rajasthan) and Loktak (Manipur).

The condition of Bharatpur has worsened so much that the Ramsar secretariat at its recent meeting in Kusiru, Japan reportedly threatened to delist it. While weeds, particularly hyacinth, have reduced the 108 sq. kms. Harike Lake to a mere 48 sq.kms., construction of a barrage by the National Hydro Electric Power Corporation is likely to wipe out the world's only floating sanctuary of Loktak Lake. Poaching and deforestation on its edges are affecting the Wular lake, and Sambhar lake is threatened by an express highway and salt pans all around.

Source: Rajaram Satapathy, The Times of India, 12/01/99, quoted by Nalin M on email dated 13/01/99, on nathistory-india@lists.princeton.edu