Fewa action plan needed

Fewa action plan needed
eKantipur, 12-Jul-08
By Raman Grandon

The existence of Fewa Lake is in peril. Human encroachment, unsustainable tourism development and lately, 'invasion of foreign species' remain the three major threats.

Fewa Lake is one of the best examples of freshwater ecosystem, where hundreds of species rely for food and water including human beings. Fishermen and boaters make their living by Fewa Lake day in and day out and tourists in hundreds flock to admire the surrounding beauty. Not to mention hoteliers, restaurateurs, tourist guides, peddlers and the public at large who make their living from increasing number of tourists. The lake is a prime habitat throughout the year for such migratory bird species as Cukoo, Pochard, Duck, Sandpiper, Woodcock, Hobby, Falcon etc. And what could compare with the scenic and serenity of Pokhara valley adorned by the majestic mountains. Indeed Fewa Lake is the pride of Nepal's tourism industry and a strong cause for local tourism revenue.

The recent media reports on encroachment of the Lake by a certain foreign plant called Eichhornia Crassipes is possibly the worst case scenario. While the weeds covered half of the lake obstructing all recreational activities of tourists, it also gave a picture of what could become of the lake if we are not to act promptly. It was obvious to see lack of coordination among local bodies over the management of Fewa Lake, with authorities butting against each other.

Last year the Appellate Court in Pokhara had directed an interim order to save Fewa Tal from the increasing menace of water hyacinth. A month long campaign was also started the same month to rid the Lake of weeds in the participation of environment committee, fisherman association, boaters, hoteliers as well as Nepal Tourism Board. But this year, it seems, the euphoria died down before the rainy season took the toll.

Originally from South America, Eichhornia or water hyacinth are labeled as weeds and are notoriously known to create problem by clogging waterways and shipping passages. It can float above the water with ease and lacks 'natural predators' which all points out to its rapidly growing abilities. Except for absorbing water pollutants and utilizing its fiber for paper production, it is regarded to be problematic and a danger to ecology. The problem of weed invasion persists in many parts of the world. Though the solution to curbing its growth varies, scientists are still in search of a much effective solution. In Nepal, water hyacinth has posed an insurmountable threat to many wetland and freshwater sites including the most famous Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Bish Hajari Tal near Chitwan National Park. My own observation of the wetland in Koshi Tappu made me come to terms with the depth of the crisis posed by Eichhornia and its impact on local ecology. The weed is growing so rapidly that is has threatened to dry up and disappear the entire Koshi Tappu wetland. The wetland invites hundreds of migratory birds which come from as far away as Siberia and Australia to hatch eggs and survive the ordeal of winter there. And they have been an inseparable part of the local ecosystem as well as offering a great deal of spectacle for the burgeoning eco tourism in the area over the years. Till now no such effective ways has been developed to control it except by employing people to uproot the weeds manually. Until now, Nepal has rarely introduced biological and chemical control measures.

With no wetland, the existence of these entire species of birds and other creatures will also be at loss. Similar is the case in Bish Hajari Tal, one of the inscribed Ramsar site where a record 556 species of birds have been accounted. Quite recently locals of Chitwan have devised a new way of utilizing the weed to produce Bio Gas (THT, July 8), which could be an alternative way to get rid of this weed. There is an immediate need to identify the best ways to tackle this problem and implement it effectively in all the affected areas of Nepal.

Human encroachment that involves doing daily chores like washing and bathing, and disposing effluent and sewage have helped in further polluting the Fewa Lake. With no proper facility for waste water treatment and pollution prevention methodology, the Lake is undergoing a considerable deterioration in quality. Findings taken over the years have revealed that the total area of the Lake has dramatically reduced from 2000O ropanis to just around 12000 ropanis, given that the depletion rate is 0.18 sq. km. every two years. Recently locals in groups have also started to engage in wheat plantation in the marshy tracts of the Lake. In fact the volume and the area occupied by the Lake in recent years have shrunk which is fast replaced by agricultural marginal lands. Moreover, the draining of the chemicals used in agriculture in the nearby villages has gradually jeopardized the ecological balance.

Another problem concerns the unplanned construction of concrete structures along the lake. In a bid to compete for ever-growing tourist revenue, tourism infrastructures like hotels and resorts have been built without taking social and natural sustainability into account. Unlike in other eco-minded destinations like Sri Lanka and Maldives, Nepali government has given little or no consideration to surveying and imposing strict policies and regulations to balance between tourism activities and nature. Instead of opening up eco resorts, entrepreneurs are blindly engaged in installing concrete structures, thereby undermining the beauty of Pokhara Valley. Pokhara is the second most popular destination within Nepal and is the gateway to the famous Annapurna Treks, but it seriously lacks strategy for destination marketing and a comprehensive plan for future tourism activities.

Given the magnitude of the risks the Lake and entire Pokhara Valley is facing, there is a need for the local authorities and government of Nepal to immediately draw up a Fewa Action Plan in participation of all stakeholders. The action plan should focus on promotion of sustainable tourism while conserving the rich biodiversity. Such an action plan must offer an integrated management strategy for tackling all the issues and at the same time provide a set of schemes to put all the concerned stakeholders into action on a periodic basis. Sustainability of Fewa Lake and Pokhara Valley is not just crucial to tourism but for future generations to come.