Army moves in to save Punjab wetland

The placid Harike lake, nestling along the confluence of the Sutlej-Beas rivers and a winter home to some 20,000 migratory birds, was slowly being choked by water hyacinth. Now the Indian Army has moved in to restore the wetland.

The army Sunday formally launched the pilot project 'Sahyog' (help) for restoration of the 42-square-km wetland stretch, the only one of its kind in northwestern India. Its very existence has been under threat due to the proliferation of water hyacinth which has reduced the wetland area to just 28 square kilometres.

The project was jointly inaugurated by Punjab Governor Lieutenant General (retd) J F R Jacob and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal by pressing the buttons which set the army machines positioned on the banks of the lake in motion.

A joint effort of the army, the state government, the World Wide Fund for Nature-India, certain non-governmental organisations and the people of Punjab, the project is a unique blend of cooperation and perhaps the only way to restore the lake to its rightful place as an international wetland, where birds of various species home in every winter to rest, roost and feed. The lake is one of six wetlands of international importance in the country.

The project involves mechanical removal of the hyacinth and is divided into two phases - August to November and March to May, when the migratory birds have flown back to their native lands.

The Punjab government has earmarked Rs 7.5 million for the project and Rs one million has already been released to the the Vajra Corps of the army, under whose command the project is being executed.

It envisages removal of hyacinth by mechanical-cum-manual means and several innovations like rakers, motorised winches and dynamic booms have been designed and fabricated by the army engineers, stationed at the Ferozepur division headquarters.

The army commanders, during a live demonstration, explained that rakers would be thrown over the hyacinth plants, pulled by motorised winches, and the weeds lifted out of the water and deposited into vehicles.

As the hyacinth is a free-floating plant and moves with the water current, the army is using dynamic booms fabricated out of poles and nylon ropes to prevent the plant from re-entering a cleared area. The booms are also being used to prevent the hyacinth from going into the Rajasthan and Ferozepur feeder canals, which begin from this lake.

This type of workable model of pulling out the hyacinth could become a model for wetland managers to emulate, army officials said.

Besides removal of hyacinth, which will give the birds a larger surface area for resting and feeding, the project also includes bench-marking and technical documentation by study teams with a view to develop a management information system. The army and the government will also educate the locals of the ill effects of encroachments, poaching and illegal fishing.

The army will prepare a film on restoration of Harike wetland for mass awareness. Afforestation of native tree species in selected areas of the wetland will also be undertaken by the government and army. A beginning was made Sunday with the Governor and chief minister planting a sapling each.

According to the army officials, with the given equipment each army team will be able to clear a 2000 square metres per day. Presently four teams are in operation simultaneously.

Source: UNI