Lakes, Ponds and Wetlands

Freshwater lakes in the Indian North Western Himalayan region (INWH) are unique and an important source of water for the growing population in the region. The INWH region covers the two states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh in India.

NGT seeks accountability for Chitlapakkam lake encroachments

Five more wetlands added to India's list of Ramsar sites

India has added five more Ramsar sites to its list ahead of the World Wetlands Day on February 2, making the total count of wetlands classified under Ramsar convention to 80 from the existing 75 covering an area of 1.33 million hectares.

The Fishers Union, Manipur calls for a ban on activities that undermine Loktak Lake conservation

The All Loktak Lake Area Fishers Union, Manipur (ALLAFUM) has raised its voice against unsustainable practices and fishing activities that can undermine the health and biodiversity of Loktak lake and emphasised the importance of community involvement in lake conservation.

The India Rivers Forum is a vibrant and active network of organisations and individuals that are committed to the conservation and safeguarding of our rivers against needless and detrimental development. Every year, India Rivers Forum organises the India Rivers Week to raise awareness regarding these issues.

Tamil Nadu’s initiative to enhance water policy and management: Updates expected by January

Wetlands are multi-functional landscapes between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems that provide habitat for wildlife, support groundwater recharge, moderate climate, control flooding, and fulfil the livelihood of communities. Covering nearly 12% of the global area, these contribute significantly to ecosystem services, sustaining human well-being.

Wetlands are unique, complex and sensitive habitats that form a connection between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and provide a range of ecosystem services to humans. They are equally crucial for the survival of birds and provide critical foraging, roosting, nesting, chick-rearing, moulting, stop-over and wintering habitat for migratory and resident waterbirds.

Wetlands are valuable ecosystems and urban wetlands provide numerous ecosystem services ranging from food, water, habitat for plants and animals, climate regulation and flood control, tourism and recreation, and supportive services like nutrient recycling.

Field visits are an exciting enterprise, especially as a young student who wishes to understand rural India. But they are also a complicated process of seeing and discerning, trying to figure out what is real and what is not. Hagiographies of local mobilisation are common in such endeavours, which, in some cases, are justified. To give into such tendencies is to pick the easy way out.