While the threat of global warming has alarmed the entire world community, in India it is threatening the very existence of high altitude Himalayan wetlands in general and the wetlands of Ladakh in particular, Pankaj Chandan, India coordinator of the Himalayan High Altitude Wetlands Conservation Programme, has said at an extension lecture.
The lecture was on “Conservation and Management of Himalayan High Altitude Wetlands with a Focus on Black-necked Crane” and was organised by the Friends of Ladakh Society, Jammu University, in collaboration with the Vijay Suri Foundation at the Seminar Hall of the DSRS, Social Sciences Block, of the university here on Thursday.
“Major challenges to the high altitude wetlands of Ladakh include unplanned and unregulated tourism, tourist season coinciding with peak biological activity, infrastructure, tremendous grazing pressure, lack of awareness among the stakeholders, emerging threat of climate change and lack of coordination among various developmental agencies,” said Pankaj.
Informing that the Himalayan high altitude wetlands of the state not only support the unique biodiversity of the region, but are also a source of livelihood for the local communities, he said at the regional level these wetlands also acted as a source of major rivers originating from the regions and supported billions of people downstream.
Forty per cent of the world’s population was dependent on water coming from the Himalayas, he added.
Pankaj said the Worldwide Fund (WWF) for Nature Wetland projects started in Leh in 2000 with a stakeholders’ meeting, followed by various activities planned at three wetlands of Ladakh at Tsomoriri, Tsokar and Pangong Tso. He added that two more sites Hanle Marshes and Chushul Marshes were added in 2004.
The most interesting initiative of the WWF India for the conservation and management of Ladakh high altitude wetlands is that it has started involving Indian troops at the wetland sites.
“Training workshops for officers of armed forces are being organised. A training programme every alternate year is being organised in Ladakh for the Army, ITBP, IAF and Border Roads Organisation and the state police.
The process of training officers has been institutionalised. Many officers, who were trained in these training programmes, are contributing in conservation in other parts of India as well,” said Pankaj.
