Visit to gharana wetland

What are wetlands

Wetlands are transitional areas, sandwiched between permanently flooded deepwater environments and well-drained uplands, where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. They include mangroves, marshes(salt, brackish, intermediate, and fresh) etc.



The gharana wetland

The Gharana wetland conservation reserve (GWCR) is a semi-arid wetland adjacent to agricultural areas on the Indo-Pakistani border. Despite being declared an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birdlife International, the occurrence and distribution of birds has not been well-documented in this area.According to locals, the reservoir is shrinking as it is getting filled with silt and waste from villages besides witnessing encroachment.



The locals said that the department had failed to conserve the reservoir notified in 1981.

They said initially Panchayats used to take care of the wetland spread over 1600 kanal at that time.

Location

Located 35 km from Jammu city, the migratory birds reach Gharana after crossing Himalayas from Central Asian countries of Mangolia, China, and Siberia and other countries with the onset of winters.

Species 



Besides, bar headed geese, the migratory birds like purple swamp hens, black winged stilts, gadwalls, egrets and many other species stay in Gharana Wetland for three to four months.

During this period, the local farmers and bird conflict start, but fortunately no bird hunting has been reported.

Conservation 

It is home to different over 150 bird species while the wetland witnesses the arrival of thousands of migratory birds every winter.

It was on the directions of the High Court that 408 kanal land was demarcated to immediately initiate the revival plan of the wetland," he said. "Our department has given compensation to the revenue department for the disbursement of compensation among the farmers whose land has been demarcated for wetland protection and extension."

Attri said that the department would implement a management plan for next five years for the conservation of the wetland after taking over the land.



"Though we do de-weeding from time-to-time, the additional land for wetland will be immediately used for the preservation measures like extension, birds-grazing points, fencing, management of garbage, bio-gas plant for villagers, waste (from locality) to be channelized out of wetland and other such steps will be taken to promote eco-friendly tourism,"

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