Together,
we save the lakes of the world
Living Lakes Network (www.Livinglakes.org) is an international partnership of 130 members working in more than 60 countries to protect and restore lakes and wetlands: the Earth’s life support systems. Ensuring their health and sustainable use is essential to fight the climate and biodiversity crisis, and for the wellbeing of billions of people! NEWS is a member of this network. It is also the Living Lakes South Asia Regional coordinator of Living Lakes subnetwork working closely with EMACE and Nagenahiru, Sri Lanka and BEDS, Bangladesh on the project.
Living Lakes Biodiversity and Climate Project (LLBCP), India
The project is initiated as a bilateral cooperation under the International Climate Initiative (IKI) (www.iki-india.com), BMUV (Germany), with overall coordination by Global Nature Fund, Germany. This is a strategic partnership between India and Germany. India is among the most prioritised IKI partner countries. NEWS has initiated its intervention for restoration and effective management of Deepor Beel, a freshwater lake in Guwahati, Assam under the Living Lakes Biodiversity and Climate Project (LLBCP) - “Living Lakes- Preservation and restoration of aquatic ecosystems and related landscapes. Biodiversity protection strategies considering climate change mitigation and adaptation”. ‘Deepor Beel’, has been declared as a Ramsar site covering 40 sq.km area which is a representative wetland type found within the Biogeographic province of Burma Monsoon Forest. It supports some globally threatened species of birds like Spotbilled Pelican (Pelicanus philippensis), Lesser Adjutant Stork (Leptoptilos javanicus), Baer’s Pochard (Aythya baeri), Palas Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), Greater Adjutant Stork (L. dubius) and also supports 50 fish species belonging to 19 families. The site is a vital natural habitat to a variety of birds with large flocks of migratory birds seen during winter. 4.14 sq km of the total area of Deepor Beel is a wildlife sanctuary while 6.89 sq kms is notified under the Guwahati Water Bodies Act, 2008. Deepor comes from the Sanskrit word Dipa which means elephant referring to the Elephants from the Rani and Garbhanga Reserve forests whose greater habitat extends to the waterbody.
The lake currently faces a number of issues:
- City sewerage and plastic waste collects here
- Unregulated inflow and outflow of water
- Large-scale Encroachment
- Heavy siltation
- Unsustainable fishing and overharvesting of resources
- Railway track hindering elephant movement
- Undefined physical boundary demarcation
- Climate Change
As these are multifaceted issues, thus for restoring and strengthening the management in Deepor Beel, NEWS has set priority work areas which are:
Capacity Building and knowledge sharing of and with the farming and fishing communities, the NGOs/CSOs and the government department while building a network between and within these communities
Effective techniques for Innovative Lake Management through Frontrunner Initiative like responsible tourism and a pilot bio-remediation action in 500 metres stretch of Pamohi river that feeds into the wetland
Improve Wetland management at a global scale through strategic alliances and international exchange
Traineeship programs and Sustainable leadership journey for young ake managers for future, who will have a shared vision for the protection and management of the wetlands.
Inspire and invigorate Community involvement in Lakes and Wetland monitoring to encourage citizen ownership.
x