Ropar Wetland and Ropar Lake | |
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View of Reservoir | |
Location | Punjab |
Lake type | Freshwater |
Primary inflows | Sutlej River |
Basin countries | India |
Surface area | 1,365 ha |
Average depth | 0.5 m |
Max. depth | 6 m |
Surface elevation | 275 m |
Settlements | Rupnagar |
Ropar Wetland, also named Ropar Lake, is a man-made freshwater riverine and lacustrine wetland. The area has at least 9 mammal, 154 bird (migratory and local), 35 fish, 9 arthropod, 11 rotifer, 9 crustacean and 10 protozoan species, making it biologically diverse.[1] This important ecological zone is located in the Shivalik foothills of the Lower Himalayas and was created in 1952 on the Sutlej River, in the Punjab state of India, by building a head regulator to store and divert water for beneficial uses of irrigation, drinking and industrial water supply. The endangered turtle Chitra indica and the threatened snake Python molurus ("at lower risk"), as per IUCN Redlist, are reported to be resident in the wetland.[2][3] Considering the wetland’s diverse and rich biodiversity, Ramsar Convention has included Ropar Wetland (listed as Ropar Lake) as one of the Ramsar sites among the 21 sites listed under India, for “the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life through the ecological and hydrological functions they perform.”[4]
The wetland is a popular tourist attraction for bird watching and boating. A tourism complex called the ‘Pinccasia’ is located within the wetland boundary, which is run by the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation. A Boat Club is also functioning.[3]
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The wetland is located close to the Rupnagar city, 45 km northwest of Chandigarh City, in Roopnagar and Nawanshahr districts of Punjab. Chandigarh is the nearest airport, which connects to the rest of India.
An archaeological museum of the Archaeological Survey of India at Ropar has displays of the antiquities unearthed during the excavations of mound in the area along with photographs displaying excavation material. The Museum depicts a sequence of six cultural periods or phases, with some breaks from Harappan times to the present day, found in the 21 metre high ancient mound known as Nalagarh Tibbi overlaying the Shiwalik (also spelt Sivalik) deposition on the left bank of the Satluj River where it emerges into the plains. A deep well with a stone inscription of Emperor Shah Jahan (A.D. 1627-1658) has been located at the foot of the mound. The excavations have established that advanced civilization similar to the Harappa and Mohenjodaro Civilization prospered in Ropar town, an integral part of the wetland.[5]
The wetland area has also a modern history in respect of Anglo - Sikh relations. On 26 October 1831, sitting under the shade of an old ficus tree on the bank of Sutlej River, Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Lord William Bentinck, the British Governor General signed an agreement defining the Anglo - Sikh relations and territories.[2][5]
The total area covered by the Wetland is 1365 ha, which includes 800 ha area of the river and the reservoir, 30 ha of forest area named as Sadavarat Forest and 30 ha under marshy plants. The wetland is surrounded by hills in the North West and by plain area in the South and South East. Agricultural crops such as wheat, rice, sugarcane, sorghum etc., are grown in the farm lands in the area surrounding the wetland but the hills have thin vegetation and are exposed to intensive grazing.[3]
Climatically, the drainage area of the wetland falls under semi-arid zone of Punjab with mean annual rainfall of 1518 mm. Initially, in the year 1882, a small headwork was constructed on the right bank of Sutlej River, near Ropar town, to supply water to Sirhind Canal. Subsequently in 1952 a head regulator was constructed to divert water not only to the Bist Doab Canal but also to Sirhind Canal and to the Bhakra Main Canal (upstream of the wetland), for irrigation, industrial and domestic use.[1]
Water Quality that determines the health of ecosystem of the wetland was monitored by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) in the year 1998-99. The water quality was reported to be of 'A' category as the river entered into Punjab and deteriorated to 'D' category downstream of Ropar Lake, mainly due to the industrial effluents from a number of factories and industrial units. Further studies on physico-chemical analysis of important parameters, biological estimations as well as pesticide residue analysis have been initiated.[1][3]
The wetland is rich in flora and fauna which are categorized below.[1][3]
A total of 19 species of trees and 14 species of bushes and grasses are recorded. Of these, the tree species are 1) Acacia catechu, 2) Ameles modesta, 3)Acacia nilotica, 4) Albizzia lebbek 5) Azadirachta indica, 6)Bombax ceiba, 7) Cassia fistula, 8) Dalbergia sissoo 9) Eucalyptus tereticornis, 10) Ficus benghalensis, 11)Ficus religiosa, 12) Mangifera indica, 13)Melia azedarach, 14) Moringa oleifera, 15) Morus indica, 16) Prosopis juliflora, 17) Salix willow, 18)Syzygium cumini (Jambul) and 19) Zizyphus jujuba.[1]
Wetland is a major source of fisheries since large species of fishes have been recorded; some of the commercially important ones are:
Four species of Amphibia (Frogs) have been noted.
Several species of birds have been recorded which include 49 species of local birds, 11 species of migratory birds, 3 species of rare birds and 54 species of common birds. Some of the rare birds among the migratory birds noted are:
Two species of tortoise viz., Geoclemys hamiltonii and Chitra indica (endangered species), five species of lizards, 11 species of snakes including the threatened specie of Python molurus or Indian python or ajgar are found in the wetland.
The food chain in the wetland is basically well balanced as it has both deep water and shallow water characteristics and the ecosystem is stated to be
almost self sufficient and self-regulating.
A Scientific study of the food chain has brought out the following sequence of facts.[3]
Over the years several adverse impacts on the quality of the wetland have been reported. Some of the important ones which invited remedial actions are:[1][3]
The Punjab State Council for Science & Technology has evolved several conservation programmes with support from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoE&F) of the Govt of India. Some of the programmes implemented include mass awareness campaigns and promotion of public participation in the wetland conservation. A few of the measures planned and under various stages of implementation are:[1][3]