Kanchan
A Wetland Hidden in Plain Sight
The Nangal Wetland, a Ramsar site of international ecological significance, is a calm, glistening body of water located in Punjab’s foothills of the Shiwalik range. This artificial reservoir, which was created in 1961 as a component of the Bhakra-Nangal Dam project, has developed into a flourishing natural habitat, a shelter for migrating birds, and a vital resource for nearby residents. However, the majority of the local population is unaware of its existence, as a Ramsar site, or a vital ecosystem. As part of the IMPRI EPAYF 2.0 Fellowship, I focused my study on this paradox: local invisibility and global recognition. My goal is to learn how the local population views and values the benefits provided by wetland ecosystems, with an emphasis on Nangal Wetland’s conservation issues and community awareness. In addition to a knowledge vacuum, I discovered an unrealised potential for participatory conservation.
Wetlands: The Ecosystem’s Unsung Heroes
Wetlands are additionally referred to as the “Kidneys of the Earth” because they filter water, absorb floods, replenish groundwater, store carbon, and provide a home for a wide variety of flora and fauna. Wetlands provide ecological benefits worth around $47 trillion a year on a global scale. In addition, they are cultural landscapes that provide historical importance, recreational opportunities, and places of worship.
These services fall into four major groups according to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment:
➢ Provisioning: fuelwood, food, and water
➢ Regulating: flood prevention, water purification, and climate regulation ➢ Cultural: leisure, tradition, and spiritual significance
➢ Supporting: primary production, nutrient cycling
Despite their value, wetlands are rapidly disappearing. Over the past several decades, pollution, encroachment, land-use change, and mismanagement have caused India to lose over one-third of its wetlands.
Introducing Nangal Wetland: A Storehouse of Legacy and Life
The 116-hectare Nangal Wetland, which is home to a variety of plant and animal species, was named a Ramsar site in 2019. It was created as a backup reservoir for the Bhakra Dam and developed into a thriving freshwater habitat in the Rupnagar district, close to the town of Nangal. Nestled in the environmentally sensitive Shiwalik foothills and surrounded by woods, it now serves as essential habitat for more than 55 species of migratory water birds, including endangered ones like the Indian Pangolin and Pallas’s Fish Eagle.
Nangal has political significance in addition to being a biological hotspot. A significant diplomatic turning point was reached here in 1954 when Chinese Premier Chou En-Lai and Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru agreed on the Panchsheel, or the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.
Fieldwork Perspectives: Exploring a Lesser-Known Wetland
I visited neighbouring villages and the town of Nangal as part of my fieldwork. I investigated how locals engaged with the wetland using informal interviews, perception surveys, and interactive discussions. The fact that so few respondents were aware that the Nangal Wetland was a Ramsar site was one of the most notable findings. For a lot of people, it was “just a dam area”, a body of water they see sometimes but don’t interact with outside of religious rites or trips. Some recalled going to the marsh as kids to attend festivals or observe birds. Others pointed to escalating regulations or variations in water quality over time. However, there was generally little feeling of ecological ownership.
The Significance of This Gap
This divergence has practical repercussions in addition to scholarly ones. Studies reveal that employment, education, and awareness levels are important determinants of people’s willingness to contribute to conservation initiatives or pay for them. Due in large part to ignorance, financial limitations, or the conviction that conservation is the responsibility of the government, more than 60% of Nangal respondents stated they would not make a monetary contribution to the protection of wetlands. It’s a lack of connection, not a lack of interest. worry is sparked by knowledge, and worry motivates action.
Local Wisdom, Missed Chances
The fact that communities may be significant peers in conservation is particularly unfortunate. They are the ones who preserve natural traditions, identify hazards, and keep an eye on change. Water tanks, biodiversity hotspots, and holy trees have all returned in various Indian regions as a result of community-based conservation. The connection between the people and the wetland is eroding in Nangal. Local memory of the marsh diminishes as newer generations move to cities, making conservation a top-down endeavour with little grassroots traction.
Prospects for Hope: What Can Be Done
There is cause for optimism despite these obstacles. Many residents said throughout the conversations that they would like to know more about the wetland if they had the chance. Many were in favour of planning school visits, cultural festivals, and eco-awareness activities in the vicinity of the wetland. My field findings led to the following recommendations:
a. Local eco-literacy campaigns to be held in community centres and schools.
b. Wetland services, local species, and Ramsar status must be highlighted on visual awareness boards.
c. Walks for birdwatching led by local youth and forest officials, including gram panchayats in committees for the management of wetlands.
d. Observing World Wetlands Day through regional cultural activities.
These low-cost, high-impact projects can help close the gap between people and policy over time.
Conclusion: Recalling What We Forgot in the End
Nangal Wetland requires acknowledgement, not more reports. From its neighbours, the farmers, students, shopkeepers, and elders, not from foreign observers or policy elites. Wetlands like Nangal are more than simply water storage facilities; they are also stores of resilience as we confront growing climate dangers and freshwater problems. Only if we don’t forget their value. Only when we work together.
About the Contributor: Kanchan is a PhD Scholar in Forest Resource Management (FRM) at the Kerala Agricultural University, and a Fellow of the Environment Policy and Action Youth Fellowship (EPAYF) Cohort 2.0.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the organisation.
Read more at IMPRI:
A Comparative Analysis of Financing Climate Action in India and China: Is Climate Finance Working?
Climate Adaptation at the Grassroots: The Untapped Power of Gram Panchayat Development Plans
Acknowledgement: This article was posted by Riya Rawat, researcher at IMPRI.
