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Bihar’s only wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention lies neglected and is on the brink of drying up, even as the state is pitching other waterbodies for the classification. While the state has many wetlands, only one is recognised — Kawar Lake in Begusarai was declared a Ramsar site in August 2020.
There are a total of 75 Ramsar sites in India.
The state has 403,209 hectares of wetlands, making up about 4.4 per cent of the total geographical area of Bihar, remote sensing data based survey conducted by the Indian Space Research Organisation in 2006-07 had found. The survey identified 4,416 wetlands, of which 17,582 were of less than 2.5 hectares.
Bihar State Wetland Authority, under the state government’s Environment, Forest & Climate Change Department, has held two major meetings over wetlands within one and a half years. A proposal to list the names of five wetlands for Ramsar status was approved at a meeting in January 2022.
Kusheshwarsthan in Darbhanga district, Barela in Vaishali district, Goga Bil in Katihar district and Nagiand Nakti dams in Jamui district were identified for inclusion as Ramsar sites.
In another meeting held in July 2023, four wetlands were again identified for inclusion as Ramsar sites. From the older list, Gogabil lake in Katihar district was mentioned along with three new names, Udaipur lake in West Champaran district, Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary in Bhagalpur district and Gokul reservoir in Buxar district.
The major obstacles for wetland conservation in Bihar, according to Bhagalpur-based environmentalist Gyan Chandra Gyani who works on wetlands, are migratory bird hunting, agriculture around wetland areas and government policies for wetland management and conservation.
“The government is recognsing the importance of saving wetlands from issues like irregular rainfall, water management problems or large-scale damage during floods. However, despite orders, no effect is visible on the ground. If the government does not take timely action, urbanisation and land acquisition will destroy the wetlands,” he said.
The water level in Kawar Lake, also known as Gokhur lake, is significantly low due to a deficit rainfall this monsoon, 70-year-old fisherman Lalo Sahni told this reporter. Sahni has been living near the lake for over two decades.
About 20,000 Nishad community of 16 villages adjacent to the lake are dependent on fishing from this lake, he added. “The population in the region is rapidly growing, but the lake no longer has water like it used to,” Sahni said.
“The situation is so bad that we and my two sons together are not able to earn between Rs 300-500 in a whole day. The livelihood of all seven members of the house depends on this. The new generation in the family is dependent on Delhi and Punjab for their livelihoods,” the fisherman said.
The lake has been drying up since 2010, said 35-year-old Upendra, who gives boat rides to tourists. “I cannot earn even Rs 500 in two days. If the situation continues, the entire lake will dry up. The fishing community will have to give up their work and migratory birds will stop coming. Already, the birds are under threat as some people hunt them,” he said.
Even though the lake is a tourist spot, hardly anyone from outside this district visits the spot, Upendra added.
Regular conflicts between farmers and fisherfolk take place over the lake, said local journalist from Begusarai, Ghanshyam.
“The local mafia has cut down all the old trees; not a single one in the forest near the lake is over 50 years old. Despite the government's best efforts, migratory bird hunting continues. The state government department holds meeting to conserve the lake but nothing happens on the ground,” he said.
The amount of silt in the lake has been increasing for year, reducing the de[th of the waterbody, said professor Ravikant Anand of RCS College, Begusarai. Anand has been researching the lake for several years.
“For many years, the government has not cleaned the silt. The lake is also shrinking rapidly. Many farmers hope that if the lake’ water runs out, they can farm on it. There is serious threat to the existence of the lake,” he said.
According to a report by environmentalist Ashok Ghosh, former chairman of Bihar State Pollution Control Board, deforestation, dominance of rich farmers, unsustainable farm land disputes and silt accumulation are the major challenges for Kawar tal (lake).
To be designated as a Ramsar site, wetlands must meet certain criteria, the most important of which is that they are rare and natural, and the second is that they support the life cycle of endangered species in adverse conditions.
The majority of Bihar's wetlands are rich in natural resources, but questions about other parameters arise. The majority of the wetlands serve as a haven for migratory birds, while the Vikramshila Dolphin Sanctuary serves as a haven for endangered dolphins.
The state is considered a paradise for migratory birds, however, their numbers are decreasing, said the book Birds in Bihar published by the state Forest and Environment Ministry. The main reason for this is the shrinking area of lakes as a result of development work in Bihar and migratory bird hunting.
In 2020, the Bihar government formed a committee under the chairmanship of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Prabhat Kumar Gupta to stop the illegal trade of migratory birds.
Migratory birds are no longer sold openly in Bihar, but hunting is still happening to the same extent, said Arvind Mishra, a bird expert who has been a member of this organisation. “There’s a huge demand for migratory birds in the northern part of the state,” he said.
Vikramshila Dolphin Sanctuary is on the list of names proposed for Ramsar sites, but illegal dredging of the Ganga river takes place on its banks, claimed Deepak Kumar, who works for Ganga Guardians at the sanctuary.
“Apart from fishing, dolphins are hunted for many reasons, mainly commercial waterway cruises and cargo planes and superstition. Bhagalpur is already infamous for hunting migratory birds. What is the point of a Ramsar site if there are no migratory birds and dolphins,” asked Kumar.