Gurdaspur’s wetlands, a haven for migratory birds, need urgent help

Kavita Khanna

ON a chilly November dawn, I journeyed to the Keshopur-Miani wetlands in Gurdaspur, eager to observe some migratory birds with my best friend from school, Lene Tangevald-Jensen, an accomplished Norwegian journalist. With the advancing winter in the northern hemisphere, hordes of birds were set to halt at these wetlands during their migratory journey from colder regions to the warmer parts of the world through the Central Asian flyway. We were hopeful to sight birds like the Sarus Crane, Common Pochard, Greater Spotted Eagle and more, all migrating from habitats across northern, eastern and central Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, Siberia, and northern and central Asia.

To guide us on our adventure were well-known ornithologists from Pathankot — Harsh Parmar, Dr Manish Goyal and Vikas Malhotra. They were all set to educate us on avian migration and assist in identifying the various rare and stunning species of the Keshopur-Miani wetlands.

But, what is a wetland? It is a region of land naturally soaked with water, such as a swamp or a marsh. The Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve in Gurdaspur, Punjab, is one example. Categorised as a Ramsar wetland, under the Ramsar Convention, 1971, it emphasises Keshopur’s ecological star-status as a habitat critical for numerous unique species of flora and fauna. The only habitat for sarus and common cranes in Punjab, it regularly supports more than 20,000 water birds. Accreditation as a Ramsar site is a commitment to conserve a fragile ecosystem. Joining the Ramsar Convention in 1982, India is home to 72 Ramsar sites.

The Keshopur-Miani wetlands encompass marshlands, including aquaculture ponds and wetlands, in the former flood plains of the Ravi and Beas rivers. These are nourished by the annual monsoon. Ramsar acknowledges that Keshopur-Miani “is heavily human-influenced, and includes a series of managed fishponds and cultivated crops such as lotus and chestnut”, and that “the site is an example of wise use of a community-managed wetland, which provides food for people and supports local biodiversity”. The uniqueness, vibrancy and beauty of these wetlands, nestled among fields, roads and human construction, are being confronted with increasing pressures from spiralling population and the complex realities of expanding human habitats.

Upon reaching the wetlands, I was mesmerised by the incredible expanse of beauty and serenity in front of me. It was an unimaginable oasis in the midst of bustling human life and activity. Our dismay was, however, beyond words when we discovered litter in and around the watch towers. I picked up all the empty food packets and plastic water bottles and carried them for the rest of the morning as we walked through the wetlands because there was no garbage bin.

Navigating the narrow water body pathways to spot some rare birds, our anguish doubled upon discovering heaps of dumped garbage. While this is a common sight across India, witnessing it in the wetlands was deeply unsettling. Such disregard isn’t just unsightly — it has grave implications. It depicted an imbalanced, inverse correlation between harmful human activity and non-human nature.

As we advanced further, we had the privilege of watching a bird landing in the water. It was poetry in motion. As our guides trained their cameras on the landing, they said unchecked invasive non-native water species of plants can hinder the birds’ landing and visibility and thus reduce the number of birds visiting the wetland. To prevent this, it is critical that dredging is done in a timely and regular manner by the Department of Forests and Wildlife Preservation, Punjab.

Invasive plant activity can cause a serious imbalance in a delicate ecosystem, and so can harmful human behaviour, and this must be addressed. The issue is not just one of garbage and litter. Poachers hunt the birds and I was told by my bird watcher friends that one often hears gunfire as birds are shot down. To protect the wetlands from disruptions and to restore and maintain the balance of these sensitive ecosystems, regular monitoring and maintenance are required as part of a well-managed strategy.

Conservation efforts must be amplified through a collaborative effort by the local communities and the authorities. The municipal and panchayat bodies need to be sensitised to the threat the wetlands face from certain human activities and the consequences thereof. The best way to do this is through education-induced changes in behaviour. The departments of Environment, Forests and Wildlife need to ensure that invasive weeds and reeds are dredged in a timely manner, well before the migrating birds arrive. The universal critical issue of garbage generation, disposal and recycling from villages to megapolises needs to be addressed, for it is our responsibility to care for and preserve our planet.

— The writer is managing trustee of the Kavita and Vinod Khanna Foundation