Need for relook at our degrading wetlands

Ramsar convention,the international agreement for the protection of wetlands across the world was signed by India along with other nations.August  2012, will count 10 years since the brackish water Ashtamudi Lake with eight creeks was declared a Ramsar site by designating it as a wetland of international importance. The lake was recommended by the Ramsar Convention’s partner organisations as a wetland of 61.4 sq km. And the lake entered the Ramsar list as site number 1,204.
Notwithstanding the adherence to the agreement, the area of the lake has shrunk to 34 sq km and it is facing serious environmental degradation. Revenue authorities dispute the 61.4 sq km extent but agree that the lake may have shrunk by at least 5 sq km in the past 10 years.
According to the Ramsar convention ,internationally there are 2,046 wetlands designated sites and India has 25. The main purpose of declaring an important wetland as Ramsar site is to enable its conservation through local and national-level action with international cooperation for achieving sustainable development.It is necessary that the State and National ministries concerned take cognisance of the situation and  take proper steps to rejuvenate our degrading wetlands.

The main causes  for degradation of wetlands are     wanton reclamation(The conversion of wasteland into land suitable for use of habitation or cultivation), pollution, and sand-mining degrade wetlands.     The pollution factor includes hydro-carbon discharge from mechanised fishing boats.     The wetlands has also become a solid waste dumping ground of urban centres.     No signboards have been put up on its banks to indicate that the wetlands is a Ramsar site.     Callousness from the State and central governments.     Destruction of mangroves near the wetlands,The Ramsar convention gives special focus to wetlands.     Rampant sand-mining destroys the fish population of the lake to near extinction as it destroys the spawning grounds of the lake’s fish.