Dipak Kurmi
(The writer can be reached at dipakkurmiglpltd@gmail.com.)
The Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) framework in India functions as a crucial buffer for protected areas, serving as a regulatory shield against unbridled human activity and development that could threaten fragile ecosystems. These zones act like shock absorbers around sanctuaries and wetlands, preventing destructive activities in surrounding landscapes from overwhelming ecologically delicate spaces. In Assam, this principle finds critical expression in Deepor Beel, the only Ramsar site in the state and one of the largest freshwater lakes of the Brahmaputra Valley. The demarcation of its ESZ has emerged as a matter of both ecological urgency and policy debate, shaping the trajectory of conservation in one of the most sensitive environmental landscapes of Northeast India.
Deepor Beel has long been regarded as the ecological lung of Guwahati. Spread across approximately 40 sq. km in its natural span, it functions not only as a wetland sanctuary but also as a flood moderator, an elephant corridor, and a haven for an astonishing array of biodiversity. The wetland was declared a Ramsar site of international importance in 2002 and subsequently notified as a wildlife sanctuary by the Government of Assam in 2009. Within its waters and marshes thrive nearly 150 species of birds, including numerous migratory species that travel thousands of kilometres from distant geographies, alongside 50 species of fish, 12 species of reptiles, 6 species of amphibians, and at least 155 species of aquatic macrobiota. Mammals like the Himalayan hoary-bellied squirrel, barking deer, sambar, Indian flying fox, rhesus macaque, and Asiatic jackal find habitat in its vicinity, while elephants from the adjoining Rani and Garbhanga Reserve Forests frequently move into Deepor Beel to forage and graze. For wildlife biologists, this wetland is a natural laboratory that continues to yield invaluable insights into endangered, vulnerable, and threatened species.
However, the ecological equilibrium of Deepor Beel is today in peril, largely because of the scale of human activity and unregulated expansion that has encroached upon its natural buffers. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) recently issued a draft notification that significantly revised the extent of the ESZ around the wetland. The earlier 2021 draft had proposed a wide span of protection ranging from 294 metres to as much as 16.32 kilometres around the Beel, covering an area of 148.97 sq. km. The new notification, however, reduces the protective cover drastically to 5 km around its boundary, bringing down the area to only 38.84 sq. km. This sharp contraction raises grave concerns about the ecological security of the wetland. By shrinking the protective buffer, the zone now opens itself up to pressures of unregulated construction, infrastructure projects, and human settlement that were previously intended to be kept at bay.
The consequences of weakening the ESZ are neither abstract nor distant. Already, Deepor Beel’s ecological functions are under stress. The dumping of municipal solid waste, including hazardous plastic, along its boundaries is visibly degrading its waters. The fragmentation of the elephant corridor, particularly due to the expansion of the Guwahati–Goalpara railway line, has increased the vulnerability of elephants crossing the wetlands, many of which have perished in train accidents. The unplanned expansion of Guwahati city toward the peripheries of the Beel has accelerated encroachment on natural drainage channels, heightening the risks of flooding in the city by disrupting monsoon runoff. In short, the wetland that once shielded Guwahati from seasonal deluge now faces the danger of becoming a contributor to it, as natural drainage patterns are steadily obliterated by construction.
This situation illustrates the fragile interconnectedness of urban development and ecological sustainability. Wetlands like Deepor Beel are not merely natural spectacles; they are critical urban infrastructure in themselves, offering ecosystem services worth millions in economic terms—flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, carbon sequestration, and fishery resources, to name a few. Globally, the degradation of wetlands has been recognised as one of the most pressing environmental concerns, with more than a third of natural wetlands lost in just the last half-century. In India, rapid urbanisation and the relentless drive for land continue to place wetlands at risk, even though they are protected under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules and international conventions.
The draft notification of the ESZ around Deepor Beel has therefore sparked debate not merely among ecologists but also urban planners, economists, and civil society groups. The earlier failure to finalise the ESZ draft of 2021 created a policy vacuum that allowed rampant industrial growth and human settlements to mushroom around the wetland. This period of regulatory ambiguity severely undermined conservation goals. Now, the revised notification, instead of strengthening protections, appears to dilute them by reducing the area and by proposing that the forthcoming Zonal Master Plan for the ESZ should not impose restrictions on approved land use and infrastructure. While the new plan emphasises efficiency and eco-friendliness in development, ecologists caution that such provisions could legitimise unregulated expansion under the veneer of sustainability. Ecosystems, by their very nature, cannot withstand piecemeal or fragmented assaults without collapsing into irreversible decline.
The potential risks are many. A weakened ESZ could accelerate habitat loss for migratory birds that rely on Deepor Beel as a wintering ground, thereby disrupting international flyways protected under global biodiversity conventions. The aquatic flora and fauna of the Beel could face existential threats as water quality deteriorates under the combined weight of waste dumping, pollution, and unchecked human interference. Elephant corridors, already narrowed by railway expansion and settlement encroachments, could fragment further, raising the spectre of increased human-elephant conflict in surrounding villages. Above all, the ecotourism potential of Deepor Beel, which has been touted as a pillar of sustainable growth for Guwahati, could vanish if the wetland loses its ecological integrity.
At the heart of this debate lies the principle of sustainable urbanization. Guwahati is one of the fastest-growing cities in Northeast India, and its future depends on reconciling developmental aspirations with ecological limits. The unchecked sprawl of concrete, industries, and infrastructure around Deepor Beel represents a short-term vision that undermines long-term resilience. Lessons from other urban wetlands in India, such as Bengaluru’s Bellandur Lake or the Pallikaranai Marshlands in Chennai, reveal that once wetlands collapse under urban pressure, the consequences are catastrophic—ranging from urban floods to public health crises. Assam cannot afford to repeat these mistakes at the cost of its only Ramsar site.
The way forward requires a transparent, consultative, and scientifically grounded approach. The draft notification for the ESZ must be widely publicised, inviting rigorous input from ecologists, hydrologists, wildlife experts, and local communities who depend on the wetland for livelihood and survival. The Zonal Master Plan must clearly demarcate boundaries, regulate land use, and set enforceable restrictions on polluting industries, construction, and waste disposal near the Beel. At the same time, conservation must be complemented by sustainable livelihood opportunities, including ecotourism, community-based fishery, and wetland-friendly agricultural practices that integrate local people as custodians rather than adversaries of the wetland.
Equally important is the need for a robust oversight mechanism. Merely issuing notifications without effective monitoring and enforcement will reduce the ESZ to a paper exercise. Dedicated institutions must be tasked with continuous ecological monitoring of Deepor Beel, ensuring compliance with conservation guidelines, and penalising violators. Modern tools such as remote sensing, GIS mapping, and biodiversity audits should be deployed to keep track of ecological health. Most critically, the ecological services provided by Deepor Beel must be valued and integrated into economic planning. This would ensure that the wetland is not seen as expendable real estate but as vital capital for the sustainable growth of Guwahati.
Deepor Beel is not just a wetland; it is a living heritage of Assam, interwoven with the region’s culture, biodiversity, and survival. Its degradation would mean not only a loss of species but also an erosion of ecological resilience in the face of climate change and rapid urbanization. The decisions made today about its Eco-Sensitive Zone will resonate for decades to come, determining whether the wetland remains a sanctuary for birds, elephants, and aquatic life or becomes another casualty of misplaced development priorities.
The challenge before policymakers is formidable yet unavoidable: to strike a balance between Guwahati’s growing urban needs and the fragile ecology of its only Ramsar site. For Assam, conserving Deepor Beel and its buffer zone is not just about environmental ethics but about securing the future of the state’s largest city against floods, pollution, and ecological collapse. The ESZ, if finalised with integrity and foresight, could become a model for sustainable coexistence between cities and wetlands. If weakened or ignored, it risks condemning both Guwahati and its environment to an uncertain and perilous future.