HARIKE WETLAND

Harike Wetland also known as "Hari-ke-Pattan", with the Harike

Lake in the deeper part of it, is the largest wetland in northern
India in the Amritsar district of the Punjab state in India. The
wetland and the lake were formed by constructing the head works
across the Sutlej river, in 1953. The headworks is located
downstream of the confluence of the Beas and Sutlej rivers. The
rich biodiversity of the wetland which plays a vital role in
maintaining the precious hydrological balance in the catchment
with its vast concentration of migratory fauna of waterfowls
including a number of globally threatened species (stated to be
next only to the Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur) has been
responsible for the recognition accorded to this wetland in 1990,
by the Ramsar Convention, as one of the Ramasar sites in India,
for conservation, development and preservation of the ecosystem.[1]
[2][3]
:

This man-made, riverine, lacustrine wetland spreads in to the three

districts of Amritsar, Ferozepur and Kapurthala in Punjab and
covers an area of 4100 ha. Conservation of this Wetland has been
given due importance, since 1987–88, both by the Ministry of
Environment and Forests, Government of India and the Punjab
State Government (through its several agencies), and over the
years several studies and management programmes have been
implemented.[4]

Harike or Hari-ke-Pattan as it is popularly called, is the nearest

town to the wetland and Amritsar city (railway station and airport)
is situated 55 km south of the Harike town, which connects to
Ferozpur, Faridkot and Bhatinda by the National Highway.[5]
 Hydrology and engineering aspects

Monsoon climate dominates the catchment draining into the

wetland. The headworks built on the Sutlej River downstream of
its confluence with Beas River and the reservoir created, which
form the Harike lake and the enlarged wetland, is a purposeful
project, which acts as the Headworks for irrigation and drinking
water supplies, through the Ferozepur, Rajasthan and Makku
feeder canals with total carrying capacity of 29,000 cubic feet per
second (820 m3/s), to supply to the command areas located in the
states of Punjab and Rajasthan. The grand Indira Gandhi Canal in
Rajasthan is fed from this source. The lake is triangular in shape,
with its apex in the west, bounded by a bund called the Dhussi
Bund forming one side, a canal in the second and a major road on
the third. The periphery of the lake is surrounded by agricultural
land and the wetland is reported to be rich in ground water
resources.[1][4].

Water quality

The Punjab State Council for Science & Technology has reported
that the water quality of the lake is mostly of ‘A’ Class as per the
designated best use criteria even though large volumes of polluted
water discharge into the wetland from industries and urban centres.
[4]

Biodiversity

The rich biodiversity of the wetland, with several species of birds,

species of turtles, species of snakes, taxa of amphibians, taxa of
fishes and taxa of invertebrates, is reportedly unique.[3][4]

Bird sanctuary

The wetland was declared a bird sanctuary in 1982 and named as

Harike Pattan Bird Sanctuary with an extended area of 8600 ha.
[6]
Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) carried out research
and a bird ringing programme during the period 1980–85.[2] An
Ornithological field laboratory was proposed to be established by
BNHS.[4]

200 species of birds visit the wetland during winter season of

which some of the well known species (some are pictured in the
gallery) are the 1) Cotton Pygmy Goose (genus Nettapus), 2)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula), 3) Yellow-crowned Woodpecker
(Dendrocopos mahrattensis), 4) Yellow-eyed Pigeon or Pale-
backed Pigeon, 5) Water Cock (Gallicrex cinerea), 6) Pallas's Gull
or Great Black-headed Gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus), 7) Brown-
headed Gull (Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus), 8) Black-headed
Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus), 9) Yellow-footed Gull (Larus
michahellis), 10) Indian Skimmer (Rynchops albicollis), 11)
White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus), 12) White-romped
Vulture, 13) Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus), 14) Eurasian Tree
Sparrow (Passer montanus), 15) Hawk (subfamily Accipitrinae),
16) Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo), 17) Horned Grebe
(Podiceps auritus), 18) Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis),
19) Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus), 20) White-browed
Fantail (Rhipidura aureola), 21) Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus),
22) Common Woodshrike (Tephrodornis pondicerianus), 23)
White-tailed Stonechat (Saxicola leucurus), 24) White-crowned
Penduline-tit (Remiz coronatus), 25) Rufous-vented Prinia (Prinia
burnesii), 26) Striated Grassbird (Megalurus palustris), 27)Cetti's
Warbler(Cettia cetti) , 28) Sulphur-bellied Warbler (Phylloscopus
griseolus) and 29) Diving duck (pochards).[6]

Vegetation
Water hyacinth in the Wetland

The wetland’s rich floating vegetation comprises the following:[1]

• Eichhornia crassipes dominates in 50% area

• Azolla sp, is sparsely seen in open water areas.
• Nelumbo nucifera, the Lotus, the prominent rooted floating
vegetation.
• Ipomoea aquatica, at the lake periphery in the shallower
region
• Najas, Hydrilla, Ceratophyllum, Potamogeton, Vallisneria
(eelgrass, tape grass vallis) and Charales are the species of
Submerged vegetation
• Typha sp. Is the dominant emergent marsh vegetation
• Tiny floating islets are formed by Eichhornia crassipes and
other grass species in the mud and root zone all over the
wetland

Dalbergia sissoo, Acacia nilotica, Zizyphus sp, Ficus sp, alien

Prosopis juliflora in large clumps and other trees are planted along
the embankment. The State Wildlife Department has constructed
earthen mounds in the marsh area with trees planted on it to
increase nesting sites for the birds.

Aqua fauna

Endangered Testudines Turtle and Smooth Indian Otter or Smooth-

coated Otter, listed in the IUCN (The International Union for the
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Redlist of
Threatened Animals, are found in the wetland.[6].

26 species of fish are recorded which include Rohu, Catla, Puntius,

Cirrhina Channa, Mystus, Notopterus ornata, Cyprinus, and
Ambassis ranga.[3]

Invertebrates recorded are: Molluscs (39 & 4 taxa), Insects (6 & 32

taxa), Crustaceans (27 taxa), Annelids (7 taxa), Nematodes (7 & 4
taxa), Rotifers (59 & 13 taxa), and Protozoans (5 & 21 taxa).[3]

Indus Dolphins

Comparative size of river Dolphin

Sketch of Indus River Dolphin

The Indus dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor) supposed to have

become extinct in India after 1930, but largely found in the Indus
river system in Pakistan, was recently sighted in the Beas River in
Harike wetland area. This aquatic mammal classified as a critically
endangered species in the Red Data Book of the International
Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources is
considered a significant find. Freshwater dolphin conservationist of
the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-India team, sighted a family of
half a dozen dolphins at two different places along the 25-km
stretch upstream of the Beas and thus confirmed the veracity of the
claim made by the forest officials of the State govt. of finding the
Indus dolphin in the wetland area. An authority on freshwater
dolphins with the endangered species management wing of the
Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun has also confirmed this
finding. Discovering it in the year 2007, which was declared by the
United Nations as Dolphin Year, was considered a special event.
However, in the same Beas River, about 140 km downstream of
the Harike Barrage in Pakistan territory, Indus dolphins are
commonly found.[7]

Wetland degradation

The wetland which is in existence since 1953 underwent changes

over the years due several factors, some of which are:[1][4][8]

• Encroachments on the wetland habitat for intensive

agriculture with resultant effluents of agricultural chemicals
and also controversial encroachments.
• Utilization of surface and ground waters for irrigation
• Effluent discharge of untreated waste from towns and
villages from industrial, urban and agricultural activities into
the rivers which feed the wetland resulting in extensive weed
growth (Water Hyacinth) in the wetland (polluted water
discharged was reported to be about 700 Million Liters per
day (mld)
• The profuse growth of water hyacinth had covered 80 per
cent of the open water surface resulting in the 33 islands
getting enclosed.
• Soil erosion and siltation due to deforestation of the fragile
lower Shivalik hills which form the catchment of the wetland
• Illegal fishing and poaching in spite of the Wildlife
(Protection) Act.
• Indiscriminate grazing in the catchments resulting in damage
to the wetland ecology
• A remote sensing study of the Wetland area coupled with the
analysis of rainfall, discharge and ground water level showed
 that the flow pattern had diminished and the size of wetland
area had reduced by about 30%, over a 13 years study period.
[9]

• The ecological crisis had reached such a stage that

environmentalists estimated lifespan of the wetland to be
discreasing.

Restoration measures

The gravity of the degraded status of the wetland has been

addressed for implementing several restoration measures by a
plethora of organizations/agencies/research institutions of the
central and state governments and also the Indian Army Units
located in the area. The measures undertaken to conserve the
wetland have covered the following actions.

The Chief Minister of the State of Punjab instituted, in 1998, the

Harike Wetland Conservation Mission to: [2]

a) To prepare a Master Plan for the integrated conservation and

development of the Harike wetland; b) To undertake specific
projects and programmes for the conservation of the ecosystem of
the Harike region; c) To regulate, screen and monitor all
development activities which have a bearing on the Harike wetland
ecosystem; d) To evaluate all plans and proposals of all
departments of the Government which concern the future of Harike

• The menace of water hyacinth was addressed by the Indian

Army (Western Command, Vajra Corps.) in the year 2000, in
a joint effort initiated by the Chief Minister of the State.
Under the Pilot Project named “Sahyog” the Army adopted
several innovative mechanical system of weed removal. The
Army General reporting on the progress of the works stated:

Through a number of innovative methods, we succeeded in making

dynamic booms, and winches etc. After the operation, we have
placed static and dynamic booms at strategic points in the Harike
Lake to hold back the floating mats of water hyacinth so that it
doesn’t spread. At the end of six months of untiring labour by our
team, we had opened four channels, which had got choked with silt
over the years. We also planted 750 saplings of plants of two years
of age on the island for birds to nest and roost in future.

• The Punjab State Council for Science and Technology

evolved a management plan which involved: [3]:
o Opening of sluice gates during monsoon
o Monitoring of water quality migration period
o Fencing some of the selected portions from
encroachment
o Afforestation of the catchment area
o Survey, mapping & notification
o Soil Conservation
o Education and Public awareness

World wetlands day

On February 2, 2003 the World Wetlands Day was celebrated at

Harike with the watchword "No-wetlands-No Water", which also
marked the "International Year of Freshwater."[3]
ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCE
CASE STUDY
HARIKE WETLAND

SUBMITTED TO
S.BALDEEP SINGH

SUBMITTED BY
PRABHJOT SINGH
10902040
E2