Chronic wetland degradation due to excessive urbanization and its impact on biodiversity in Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Wetlands are the kidneys of the earth. They protect from different natural calamities at different times. They are the source of food and resting space for humans, birds, and animals. But over the period, wetlands are degrading, and the area of wetlands is declining fast due to manmade factors. Urbanisation is increasing fast in India. The state of Maharashtra is not an exception to the growth of urbanisation. But due to changes in the land use pattern in Maharashtra state, the wetlands are degraded and declining fast. Wetlands are affected most in the Kokan region of Maharashtra due to excessive migration and urbanisation. The built-up area is increasing, and crop land is decreasing in Western Maharashtra. The following land is increasing in Aurangabad. The evergreen forest cover is decreasing in Kokan, Amravati region. The island's wetlands are declining fast in the Kokan region. New infrastructure projects and urbanisation are responsible for the decline in island wetlands. Water bodies related land cover has increased in Amravati and in the Nasik region. The number of lakes is more in Western Maharashtra. The creeks and beaches, mangroves, saltpans, and aquaculture are more prevalent in the Kokan region, but it is vanishing fast. The ordinary least squares regression results show that total land is negatively correlated to salt-affected land and wetlands. Therefore, all the wetland in the state needs to be protected, and people must be made aware about its uses and future negative effects. The state government must publish a report on the sustainability of wetlands in urban areas. Such policies will protect wetlands and provide a habitat for life. Environmental sustainability will be achieved in a highly urbanised state in India.