Kanjli Wetland sees no migratory birds this year

Tribune News Service

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, February 2

Doaba’s only Ramsar site, the beautiful Kanjli Wetland, is choked as it did not receive winged guests this year, thanks to government apathy and consistent administrational ignorance.

The only Ramsar site in Doaba and one of the six in the state — the Kanjli Wetland in Kapurthala — has been a crown jewel of Doaba. The green oasis in the midst of Kapurthala which attracted thousands of migratory birds every year is not receiving winged guests this year as it is choked with water hyacinth.

Oblivious to ecological conservation and ignorant about the plant species which will actually sustain the wetland, the government planted Lantana in its enthusiastic plantation drive at the wetland which is one of the world’s top 10 worst kind of invasive species.

When a bunch of eco-enthusiasts headed for a nature walk at the Kanjli Wetland today, all they saw was overgrown water hyacinth choking the wetland and an ominous and disturbing absence of migratory birds.

Ecologist and researcher Bageshwer Singh, who has been visiting the wetland for the past 15 years and researching on it since 2017, had flagged back in 2020, that the wetland was being choked by 16 kinds of invasive species. Things have got so bad that the 1.6 square kilometre wetland which is the crown jewel of Doaba (in terms of water bodies) has stopped receiving migratory birds this year.

The presence of Lantana, which sources said, had been planted by the horticulture department has only made things worse. Bageshwer, who has been taking up the issue with the government and ecologists, said the administrational response had been disappointing so far.

Speaking to The Tribune, he said: “I have taken up the issue with the Kapurthala DC and officials concerned. Water hyacinth is choking the wetland and various invasive plants are disturbing its ecology. Plantations of Lantana have further cost its ecological balance. During our visit to the wetland, there were no migratory birds at Kanjli. Due to the water hyacinth taking over the water, no water is visible to migratory birds which head over to sites where water can clearly be seen.”

Administration’s plan

A detailed plan was being devised by the district administration to revive Kanjli Wetland yet again as a tourist spot. A meeting in this regard was held by Deputy Commissioner on October 28, 2020. As per the plan, the basic infrastructure at the wetland would be upgraded to promote activities and various spaces to revive tourism.

At the Kanjli Wetland Maintenance and Development Society meet, DC Deepti Uppal said the International Tourist Centre of Kapurthala will see uplift. The society was asked to explore options for a café, restaurant, 3-km long walk way and boating.

The functionaries of the drains, forest, wildlife protection, fisheries, local bodies and Tourism Department were asked to complete the respective projects within a given time frame.

16 invasive varieties of plants a threat

As per Bageshwer's previous report, the 16 invasive varieties include alligator weed, galinsoga, common cocklebur, oriental false hawksbeard, congress grass, goatweed, link coffee senna, subabool, mesquite/vilayati kikar, caesarweed, broomweed, common wireweed, creeping woodsorrel, water hyacinth, big-sage and aak.

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