Context

• World Wetlands Day 2026 (2^nd February), observed under the theme Wetlands and traditional knowledge: Celebrating cultural heritage, draws attention to the deep connections between people and Wetlands in India.
• For centuries, communities have depended on water bodies not only for survival but also for culture, identity, and collective wellbeing.
• These landscapes represent a convergence of ecology and society, where Traditional Knowledge has shaped sustainable interactions with nature.
• Yet, despite their value, wetlands today face accelerating decline, raising urgent questions about how Heritage and modern governance can be aligned to secure their future.

Traditional Knowledge and the Cultural Ecology of Wetlands

• Across India, wetlands have historically supported Livelihoods through locally adapted practices that balanced use and protection.
• In Tamil Nadu, interconnected tanks or kulams regulated water for agriculture, while in Kerala, kenis ensured drinking water and ritual continuity.
• Fishing communities in Andhra Pradesh developed seasonal practices that sustained both people and Ecosystems.
• These systems were governed collectively and refined over generations, embedding conservation within daily life.
• Such examples reveal wetlands as socio-ecological systems rather than vacant land.
• They demonstrate that cultural memory and local practices can inform present-day approaches to Conservation, especially when communities remain active stewards rather than passive beneficiaries.

Policy Frameworks and the Crisis of Implementation

• India possesses an extensive Policy architecture for wetland protection, including the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems, the Coastal Regulation Zone framework, and Ramsar commitments.
• Together, these address a wide range of wetland types and ecological contexts.
• However, the central challenge lies in Implementation. Large proportions of wetlands have disappeared in recent decades, while many remaining sites show severe Degradation.
• Delays in notification, weak enforcement, fragmented institutional roles, and poor coordination undermine the effectiveness of existing laws.
• International recognition through Ramsar designation carries responsibility, but protection on paper often fails to translate into action on the ground.

Development Pressures and Ecological Degradation

• Wetlands are especially vulnerable because they lie at the intersection of land, water, and development.
• Rapid Urbanisation, infrastructure expansion, and land conversion have erased or fragmented many natural systems.
• Alterations to water flow, through dams, embankments, sand mining, and groundwater extraction, disrupt wetland Hydrology, weakening their ecological functions.
• Pollution compounds these pressures. Untreated sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, and solid waste trigger eutrophication, biodiversity loss, and declining water quality.
• Urban wetlands are often expected to absorb floods, manage waste, and remain biodiverse, despite lacking legal buffers or adequate protection.
• In coastal regions, rising seas and extreme weather linked to Climate change intensify risks, trapping Mangroves and lagoons between development and erosion.

Institutional Capacity and Governance Gaps

• Beyond environmental stressors, limited Capacity within institutions remains a major obstacle.
• State wetland authorities are frequently understaffed and underfunded, with gaps in technical expertise, enforcement, and community engagement.
• Weak planning and monitoring reflect broader challenges in Governance, where multiple mandates compete without effective coordination.
• Without skilled personnel and clear accountability, even well-designed frameworks struggle to deliver results.

Towards Pragmatic, Integrated Solutions

• Addressing these challenges requires a shift from isolated projects to long-term programmes, and from cosmetic interventions to ecological Restoration.
• Clear notification and demarcation of wetlands, supported by transparent mapping and participatory verification, form the foundation of protection.
• Urban and peri-urban wetlands require strict control of inflows; wetlands cannot replace sewage treatment plants.
• At the landscape scale, protecting Catchments and restoring hydrological Connectivity are essential to maintaining wetland functions.
• Coastal and riparian wetlands should be treated as natural Infrastructure for disaster risk reduction, offering protection comparable to engineered systems.
• Equally important is sustained investment in training and institutions, linking wetland management outcomes to tangible benefits for local people and fostering long-term stewardship.

Conclusion

• The future of India’s wetlands depends on collective responsibility and governments must enforce and coordinate.
• Cities must abandon the notion of wetlands as wastelands, industries must prevent pollution at source, and educational institutions must train skilled practitioners.
• Citizens, too, play a crucial role in defending local water bodies as shared assets.
• By aligning science with policy and grounding both in the experience of Communities, wetlands can be restored as living systems that support Resilience and Sustainability.
• In doing so, India safeguards not only its water and biodiversity, but also a vital foundation for social and ecological stability.