GUWAHATI, Dec 6 – While several time zones away global leaders prepare to confront the challenge of climate change, nestled in a mega biodiversity zone Assam treats its natural environment with disdain.

Despite repeated appeals from experts and conservation groups, the State Government has done precious little to conserve its wetlands. Now, experts warn that time is running out to protect the “kidneys of nature” spread across the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys.

Dr Rathin Barman, a specialist in wetlands, currently with the Wildlife Trust of India told The Assam Tribune that the Government and people of Assam must take measures to conserve the biodiversity rich wetlands, which he described as a defining feature of the region’s landscape.

“The wetlands have taken ages to emerge into their current shape, and during the dynamic process have offered a variety of ecological services to local people. Their disappearance will inevitably and irrevocably harm the lives of scores of people in both the major valleys of Assam,” he stated.

Referring to the location of the wetlands, Dr Barman mentioned that in the Brahmaputra valley most of the wetlands were located within a ten kilometre zone from either bank of the river. From their locations, they provided not just water access, but contributed to ground water recharge, irrigation and pisciculture.

Recent reports based on satellite imagery have revealed that many of the wetlands are in poor shape with human interventions like encroachment threatening their status. Quoting a report, Pranjit Sarma, a remote sensing specialist said that Deepar Beel has witnessed changes in land use patterns due to encroachment and other development activities.

The wetland, which is an internationally known Ramsar site, has also been disturbed by a railway track that has severed its links to a forest habitat in its South.

A senior Forest Department official who wished not to be named said that in Assam wetlands were nobody’s business. “We know they are of immense ecological value, besides supporting people directly…but we don’t possess adequate knowledge about their conservation and management,” he remarked.

Nearly seven per cent of the state’s landmass is covered by wetlands, and significantly they offer direct economic benefits to a large section of people who have no other access to water. In districts such as Nagaon and Morigaon they have also been used for fish farming over a long time.