Mumbai's wetlands: A developmental ally

The evening of July 26 2005 will forever remain imprinted in the memories of every Mumbaikar The whole city was flooded and many lost their lives A major factor contributing to this disaster was the loss of Mumbairsquos wetlands mdash the natural buffers that once absorbed excess floodwater Today Mumbai has lost 71 per cent of its wetlands which significantly contributes to the citys vulnerability to flooding The impact of wetland loss is not unique to Mumbai with cities across India are facing similar challenges including water insecurity flooding and the loss of essential ecosystemsIn Mumbai the rate of wetland degradation has led to increasingly severe monsoon floods in certain parts of the city PicAditya PradhanWetlands are vanishing at an alarming rate across India For instance Chennai has lost 90 per cent of its wetlands and cities such as Vadodara Hyderabad and Bengaluru have also seen significant declines In Mumbai the rate of wetland degradation has led to increasingly severe monsoon floods in certain parts of the city Wetland loss has a nationwide impact with the average annual economic cost of floods in India reaching Rs 5649 crore in 2021 These losses are not just environmental but also socioeconomic affecting millions of livesWetlands are a ldquocommon property resourcerdquo meaning they are freely used by many and when overexploited their degradation harms everyone In Mumbai this is compounded by the growing problem of waste dumping and untreated sewage entering our water bodies I remember during one of my surveys of mangrove ecosystems along the coast of Mumbai I encountered a startling variety of waste from discarded syringes with needles and clothes to an entire sofa set On another occasion while walking along a river I witnessed untreated industrial effluent being dumped directly into the water These are just a few examples of the neglect our wetlands faceThe rich biodiversity of these wetlands supports countless species many of which are integral to local traditions and livelihoods PicAditya PradhanWhy do we treat such a vital resource with such disregard Wetlands provide a range of ecosystem services that are crucial for our survival They protect the city from floods by absorbing excess water For instance each acre of wetland can absorb up to 56 million litres of floodwater providing a vital buffer against storm surges and floods Yet more than 9037 of Indiarsquos natural disasters are waterrelated and without wetlands to protect us Mumbai is becoming increasingly vulnerable to these disastersBeyond their environmental benefits wetlands also hold profound cultural significance In Mumbai wetlands like the vast mangrove forests along the coastline are not only crucial for maintaining ecological balance but hold a deep cultural meaning to the city The rich biodiversity of these wetlands supports countless species many of which are integral to local traditions and livelihoodsSo how do we protect Mumbairsquos wetlands It starts with knowing that there is no silver bullet for this issue The issue needs to be addressed at multiple levels Stakeholder engagement and active participation is one of the most important aspects of the solution Governments and private entities must prioritise and invest in wetland conservation Ultimately what will make the greatest difference is a genuine commitment to change moving beyond rhetoric lip service to tangible impactful effortsIf we can develop and implement this as part of the MMR regionrsquos development the evergrowing Mumbai could not only contribute to MITRArsquos goal of 175537 growth for Maharashtra but also bring in ecological security that supports human wellbeing cultural benefits and improves satisfaction and happiness for its residentsOur floodprone areas could have wetlands that not only store excess water but also double as recreational areas for families and friends to gather Further the water can be used for public utilities reducing pressure on our dams Wetlands visited by flamingos can be ecologically secured and converted into tourist attractionsThere is enough research done to come up with viable solutions from Elinor Ostromrsquos Nobelwinning work on averting the tragedy of commons to innovative technologies to clean up our wetlands This will require significant public and private sector investment A crucial step will be improvements in areas of regenerative development of infrastructure and waste management to ensure that all sewage and effluent are treated before entering water bodies Equally important is the restoration of these wetlands by removing invasive species and reintroducing native flora and fauna In the realms of political economy it is essential to prevent and minimise the diversion of wetlands for alternate purposes Lastly utilising existing legal provisions to protect wetlands to our advantage by converting shortterm needbased development into a new regime that allows wetlands to play their role in human development is key We must shift focus from policy to effective actionIs this not known to the people who matter It is The challenge lies in addressing the pressing needs that drive shortterm exploitation such as food water and livelihood Equally critical is creating incentives that prioritize longterm benefits over immediate gains India already has some of the most welldrafted legal provisions to achieve this There are several lsquoyojanasrsquo and several lakhs of crores are pumped through them This has limited impact on ground The focus has to shift to mitigating the challenges in implementing the lawThis is a longdrawn battle but the one that can and must be won On this World Wetlands Day let us not just talk about our theme of lsquoProtecting wetlands for our Common Futurersquo but protect wetlands for our common futureRushikesh Chavan is the Head of The Habitats Trust