The biggest factor behind the unabated destruction of forest and wildlife in the State, unquestionably, is the sheer insensitiveness of the Government towards the environment. We do not need to look far to realize this. Deepor Beel, a bird sanctuary and the State’s lone Ramsar Site, is literally gasping for survival, with pollution levels in the water-body rising to alarming levels. One can see a coat of blackish oily substance – a result of continuous discharge of untreated toxic wastes through the Bahiniand Bharalu rivers and dumping of solid wastes by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation close to the Beel’s periphery – spreading over to more and more areas of the wetland’s core area. The once-pristine wetland is made to bear the brunt of many ills – from large-scale encroachmentand heavy siltation from the denuded hills to growing industrial activities including stone quarrying and brick making within its periphery. Regrettably, the vandalism being perpetrated on this natural heritage is visible for anyone exceptthe Government . A Planning Commission delegation last year made a number of recommendations for restoration of the Beel eco-system, but those are gathering dust in official files with not a single recommendation being implemented. Given this destructive trend, it is only a matter of time before the wetland turns into a wasteland.
A natural wetland harbouring a rich variety of flora and fauna including over 200 species of birds and 50 species of indigenous fish, Deepor’s significance lies on many counts. It is a major storm-water storage basin for Guawhati, which experiences severe water-logging every monsoon. It recharges groundwater,and is the best indicator of the city’s environmental status. The entire Deepor-Rani-Garbhanga belt, endowed with diverse wildlife and spectacular scenery, needs to be developed as a protected area with thrust on eco-tourism. For restoring Deepor, anthropogenic and industrial pressures on the wetland must be checked, as long-term survival prospects of the wetland are intrinsically linked to reducing human interference on its fragile ecosystem. The immediate task beforethe Government is to prevent the flow of toxic wastes into the water besides shifting the garbage dumping site. With the declaration of the Beel as abird sanctuary, it should have been easier for the Government to ensure some protective measures but the prevailing situation belies any such effort. Extending protection to the green cover on the city’s hills is also critical to Deepor’s survival because widespread deforestation on the hills invariably leads to accumulation of huge deposits of earthand silt on the Beel bed.THE SENTINEL
A natural wetland harbouring a rich variety of flora and fauna including over 200 species of birds and 50 species of indigenous fish, Deepor’s significance lies on many counts. It is a major storm-water storage basin for Guawhati, which experiences severe water-logging every monsoon. It recharges groundwater,and is the best indicator of the city’s environmental status. The entire Deepor-Rani-Garbhanga belt, endowed with diverse wildlife and spectacular scenery, needs to be developed as a protected area with thrust on eco-tourism. For restoring Deepor, anthropogenic and industrial pressures on the wetland must be checked, as long-term survival prospects of the wetland are intrinsically linked to reducing human interference on its fragile ecosystem. The immediate task beforethe Government is to prevent the flow of toxic wastes into the water besides shifting the garbage dumping site. With the declaration of the Beel as abird sanctuary, it should have been easier for the Government to ensure some protective measures but the prevailing situation belies any such effort. Extending protection to the green cover on the city’s hills is also critical to Deepor’s survival because widespread deforestation on the hills invariably leads to accumulation of huge deposits of earthand silt on the Beel bed.THE SENTINEL
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