Wetlands of Assam
Report on Visit to Deepor Beel in Assam – a wetland included under National Wetland Conservation and Management Programme of the Ministry of Environment & Forests. 13-14 August 2008
1.
Context
The Expert Team constituted by the Planning Commission, Government of India, to Review the status of implementation of the National Wetland Conservation and Management Programme (NWCMP) of the Ministry of Environment & Forests, by visiting selected wetlands in the country, made an on-the-spot review and assessment of the Deepor Beel near Guwahati in Assam. This was the third wetland visited after Chilika and Vembanad-Kol.
2.
Visit itinerary
The Team comprising Dr.(Mrs.) Indrani Chandrasekharan, Advisor(E&F), Planning Commission, Dr. T. Balasubramanian, Director, CAS in Marine Biology, Annamalai University and Dr. V. Sampath, Ex-Advisor, MoES and UNDP Sr. National Consultant, visited Deepor Beel on 13th & 14th(FN) August 2008 and held discussions with Dr.Jaideep Baruah, Scientific Officer & Head i/c, Environmental Division, Assam Science Technology & Environment Council (ASTEC); Dr. A.K. Baruwa, Retd. Director, ASTEC; Mr. M.C. Malakar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wild Life) & Chief Wildlife Warden, Assam; B. S. Bonal, Chief Conservator of Forests (Wild Life); and Dr. U.C. Goswami, Prof. Dept. of Zoology, Guwahati University – a Member of the National Wetland Management Board. Details of presentations and discussions held are at Annexure-1. This was followed by a field visit to the Beel area in the outskirts of Guwahati.
3.
Deepor Beel, Guwahati, Assam
Deepor Beel (Beel means wetland or large aquatic body in Assamese) located about 10 km southwest of Guwahati city is considered as one of the large and important riverine wetlands in the Brahmaputra valley of lower Assam, India. Deepor Beel is an open lake basin connected with a set of inflow and out flow channels. Originally, the beel had its natural linkages with the river Brahmaputra through the Sola Beel
1.
Context
The Expert Team constituted by the Planning Commission, Government of India, to Review the status of implementation of the National Wetland Conservation and Management Programme (NWCMP) of the Ministry of Environment & Forests, by visiting selected wetlands in the country, made an on-the-spot review and assessment of the Deepor Beel near Guwahati in Assam. This was the third wetland visited after Chilika and Vembanad-Kol.
2.
Visit itinerary
The Team comprising Dr.(Mrs.) Indrani Chandrasekharan, Advisor(E&F), Planning Commission, Dr. T. Balasubramanian, Director, CAS in Marine Biology, Annamalai University and Dr. V. Sampath, Ex-Advisor, MoES and UNDP Sr. National Consultant, visited Deepor Beel on 13th & 14th(FN) August 2008 and held discussions with Dr.Jaideep Baruah, Scientific Officer & Head i/c, Environmental Division, Assam Science Technology & Environment Council (ASTEC); Dr. A.K. Baruwa, Retd. Director, ASTEC; Mr. M.C. Malakar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wild Life) & Chief Wildlife Warden, Assam; B. S. Bonal, Chief Conservator of Forests (Wild Life); and Dr. U.C. Goswami, Prof. Dept. of Zoology, Guwahati University – a Member of the National Wetland Management Board. Details of presentations and discussions held are at Annexure-1. This was followed by a field visit to the Beel area in the outskirts of Guwahati.
3.
Deepor Beel, Guwahati, Assam
Deepor Beel (Beel means wetland or large aquatic body in Assamese) located about 10 km southwest of Guwahati city is considered as one of the large and important riverine wetlands in the Brahmaputra valley of lower Assam, India. Deepor Beel is an open lake basin connected with a set of inflow and out flow channels. Originally, the beel had its natural linkages with the river Brahmaputra through the Sola Beel