On the south-western edge of Guwahati, Deepar Beel Wildlife Sanctuary is the State’s only Ramsar Site and an Important Bird Area
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the eco-sensitive zone of the Deepar Beel Wildlife Sanctuary measuring more than 148 sq. km.
Located on the south-western edge of Guwahati, Deepar Beel is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Assam and the State’s only Ramsar Site, besides being an Important Bird Area. The wetland has for decades been threatened by a railway track – set to be doubled and electrified – on its southern rim, a garbage dump and encroachment for human habitation and commercial units.
The wetland expands up to 30 sq. km in summer and reduces to about 10 sq. km in winter. The wildlife sanctuary measures 4.1 sq. km within this wetland.
The notification on August 25 specified an area “to an extent varying from 294 metres to 16.32 km” as the eco-sensitive zone, with the total area being 148.9767 sq. km.
“No new commercial hotels and resorts shall be permitted within 1 km of the boundary of the protected area or up to the extent of the eco-sensitive zone, whichever is nearer, except for small temporary structures for eco-tourism activities,” the notification said.
No sawmills’ expansion
Disallowing new or expansion of the existing sawmills in the vicinity, the notification said new wood-based industry may be set up in the eco-sensitive zone using 100% imported wood stock.
Among activities prohibited in the eco-sensitive zone are hydroelectric projects, brick kilns, commercial use of firewood and discharge of untreated effluents in natural water bodies or land area.
Deepar Beel has long been used as a sponge for Guwahati’s sewage via a couple of streams. The wetland has also suffered from seepages of toxins from a garbage dump at Boragaon adjoining it.
“The wetland of Deepar Beel constitutes a unique habitat of aquatic flora and avian fauna. About 150 species of birds have been recorded in the sanctuary, out of which two are critically endangered, one endangered, five vulnerable and four near-threatened,” the notification said.
“Elephants regularly visit the wetland from adjoining the Rani and Garhbhanda Reserve Forest and the wetland is an integral part of the elephant habitat. Besides these, 12 species of reptiles, 50 species of fish, six species of amphibians along with 155 species of aquatic macro-biota have been recorded in the sanctuary,” it stated.
But being adjacent to “fast-developing Guwahati”, the sanctuary is “facing immense biotic pressure by way of human settlements and even-increasing development activities”, it noted.
“City wastes as well as industrial effluents causing serious problem to the ecological and environmental values of the rich wetland that create a threat to all life forms and ecosystems in the Deepar Beel,” it added, also noting the railway track along the wetland’s southern boundary with concern.
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