The government unfortunately still exhibits a primitive approach to wetlands, classifying them as 'wastelands', ignoring the flood-control role that these areas play, as well as the rich biodiversity they shelter, in terms of fish, birds, and turtles. Wetlands should be given as important a status as our forests and protected accordingly. These wetlands, in particular, act as a buffer to the seasonal floods of the Ganges river. The Ministry of Environment, together with the Ministry of Energy, however, propose to damage this avian breeding and feeding ground to accommodate the 3 x 660 MW Barh Super Thermal Power Project.
Ornithologists from the Bombay Natural History Society have confirmed that the area is extremely rich in avifauna, with 149 species of migratory and resident water birds listed. It is also an extremely important breeding site for several species of birds.
The wintering population of water birds is estimated to run into hundreds of thousands of individuals in the migratory season. The area is close to Kanwar Lake Bird Sanctuary, which has also been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA). The Tal wetlands have been proposed for inclusion as an IBA.
The project also plans to excavate around 13.6 million cubic metres of river sand and earth from the banks of the nearby Ganges river to raise the ground level of the thermal plant site to guard against flood waters. This will have the dual detrimental effect of ruining a vital wetland habitat, plus harming aquatic and riverine life in and around the Ganges, including the highly threatened Gangetic dolphin.
The Ganges is already facing daunting threats from sand mining, pollution and destruction of nesting sites of crocodiles and turtles. Any plan that involves further degradation should have been very carefully examined. Instead, the MoEF hurriedly pushed the projects through, without heeding the advice of the BNHS and several Members of its own Expert Committee for Thermal Plants, who recommended that a bio-habitat analysis be first conducted. The National Thermal Power Corporation, the project's proponents, said that they will study the impact only one kilometre upstream and downstream of the water intake and outfall sites in the Ganges. It is extremely naive to believe that impacts would be restricted to such a small area, particularly as they plan to dump the ash slurry left after burning the coal in low-lying areas near the Ganges.
Write a letter asking that the Tal wetlands be protected.
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