Withering Heights

The rich diversity of aquatic plants in the Eastern Ghats has aided local communities in meeting their nutritional as well as livelihood needs. AJAY MAHAPATRA and ASHOK BISWAL analyse why these poorly documented plants are under threat.

- Ajay Mahapatra and Ashok Biswal

AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS such as rivers, natural wetlands, swamps, ma-rshes, lakes and estuaries per-form a vital role in the livelihood and economy of local communities in the Eastern Ghats, spreading over the states of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. While most conservation programmes in India are focused on saving vertebrate populations, there are hardly any that aim to save aquatic plants. Aquatic plants not only provide nutritive food—leaves, fish, nuts, fibre and medicinal plants—they are also used to make decorative items, toys, mattresses and offer fodder for livestock. Importantly, they help sustain a healthy environment by recycling nutrients, purifying water, preventing floods and recharging groundwater.

But as compared to the Western Ghats, where proper documentation has helped preserve vital aquatic species, there is hardly any scientific information available about plant species in the Eastern Ghats that can help in devising conservation programmes. What’s worse, a wide range of direct and indirect anthropogenic actions have put these ecosystems under severe threat.

Human invasion