The Land of Wetlands
What is a Wetland?
Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during the growing season.
The Background of Wetland Documentation
Order of the Supreme Court of India dated 08/02/2017 regarding wetland conservation in India directs that the ‘Brief Documents’ with regard to the 2,01,503 wetlands should be obtained by the Govt. of India from the respective State Governments. In line with that spirit the state Govt. of Maharashtra, launched a mobile application on World Wetland Day (Feb 02) with the objective of creating a database on all the wetlands in order to monitor their destruction and thereby facilitate conservation of wetlands across the state. An obvious need was to make available a mechanism, a sub-system that would enable gathering of such information (data) accurately and methodically.
Typically, a panel of experts would do the job, sincerely. Or there are other skies to explore! An opportunity was seen here for participation from community – not only to ease out the work but to integrate the wisdom from various pockets of society, eventually effecting into a way of education. A pilot project was conducted in Sindhudurg district with community participation, probably the first in our country. The “Wetland Brief Documentation Committee” formed on the order of the Honourable District Collector consisted of citizenry (folks) from local community as the backbone of this endeavour.
A key outcome of involving students from high school and college was to do with providing them with first-hand experience on flora and fauna. Training Talathi, Tehsildar, formation and coordination among Wetland Brief Documentation Committee members was done by Syamantak Organization, Dhamapur.
A detailed report on the status of each wetland was submitted through the “wetland app”. The same report flagged-ON the sites that are in need of restoration. After the completion of ground verification, the state government now have comprehensive data on the wetlands in Sindhudurg District. The Sindhudurg administration now have a factual position about the wetlands and can take measures for protection, restoration and conservation.
Dhamapur Lake Struggle
A singular struggle to save Dhamapur Lake has been transfomed into an ongoing documentation process of 480 wetlands, across 5 districts of Kokan Region, through community participation. Material outcomes of this process can be viewed in huge revenue savings at administration level and documentation that is being produced. A tangibly longe term impact, still invisible in a given moment, is a community that finds itself connected to the cause of wetlands, a community in terms of its individuals and other social structures that is constantly getting aware of its surroundings. It is yet to be seen, but a socratic way of thinking might be taking shape at community level.
Syamantak Conduct Training Across Kokan region
Wetland Map onWetland Atlas by space Application Center
Sindhudurg District
Total 373 wetlands are mapped in the district including 10 small wetlands (<2.25 ha), with total wetlands area of 13979 ha.
Ratnagiri District
Total 771 wetlands are mapped in the district including 16 small wetlands (<2.25 ha), with total wetlands area of 20979 ha.
Raigad District
Total 1760 wetland map in district. Rivers/ streams contribute 15.18% to the total wetland area. The reservoir/barrages contribute 1897 ha i.e. 4.05 % to the wetland area.
Thane/Palghar District
Total 1895 wetlands are map in the district The wetland mapping shows that rivers/ streams contribute 17.83% the total wetland area.
Dhamapur Lake recognised as World heritage Irrigation Site
The Dhamapur lake is one of the top 100 wetlands in India identified by the centre for rap destination and improvement. It irrigates 237 actors of land every year the site was built in 1530 by villages of Dhampur and Kalse.Sachin Desai, a local, said the lake stands as an example of community participation in the past and present “It displays the wisdom of our ancestors. The recognition saves the area from unplanned development and also creates history. This shows that learned citizens should come forward for documentation of Heritage and natural assets of our country.
