Content

1. Revival of Traditional Lakes, Ponds, and Reservoirs
2. Conservation of Snow Leopards

Revival of Traditional Lakes, Ponds, and Reservoirs

Why Is It in News?

• PIB released updated details on Central Government schemes, funding flows, technological measures, and community-PPP models for reviving traditional water bodies.
• Highlights include:
  • Rs. 545.35 crore central assistance released under PMKSY–HKKP (RRR of Water Bodies) till March 2025.
  • 1.97 crore water-related works completed under Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch The Rain (2025).
  • 3031 projects worth Rs. 6270.51 crore approved under AMRUT 2.0 for water body rejuvenation.
  • Push for GIS mapping, geo-tagging, unique coding and PPP/community participation.

Relevance

GS1 – Geography / Society

• Traditional water bodies as part of India’s ecological heritage and rural socio-cultural systems.
• Changing land use, urbanisation, and demographic pressures degrading local hydrological systems.

GS3 – Environment, Conservation, Agriculture

• Critical for groundwater recharge, climate resilience, drought mitigation.
• Boosts irrigation efficiency and reduces stress on major irrigation systems.
• Technological interventions (GIS, geo-tagging, unique codes) → evidence-based policymaking.
• Supports Jal Shakti Abhiyan, AMRUT 2.0, PMKSY-HKKP goals on water security.

What Are Traditional Water Bodies?

• Man-made or natural storage structures: tanks, lakes, ponds, step-wells, johads, talabs, cheruvus, ooranis, ahars-pynes, etc.
• Ecological & socio-economic functions:
  • Local irrigation + groundwater recharge
  • Drinking & livestock water
  • Flood buffer + micro-climate regulation
  • Biodiversity habitats
  • Support traditional livelihoods (fisheries, agriculture)

  Why Revival Is Critical?

• India’s water stress: 18% population, 4% freshwater.
• CGWB: 1,034 blocks over-exploited.
• NITI Aayog: ~75% households face water scarcity; 21 cities to hit zero groundwater.
• Traditional water bodies historically contributed:
  • 10–15% irrigation in many regions (pre-Green Revolution).
  • 30–40% recharge in semi-arid belts.
• Degradation drivers:
  • Encroachments, urbanisation, siltation
  • Catchment degradation
  • Weak local governance post-abolition of local customary systems (e.g., Kudimaramathu decline, temple tank neglect)

 Current Government Framework

A. Federal Context

• Water = State Subject → States identify, plan, implement rejuvenation.
• Centre provides policy direction, financial assistance, technology tools, monitoring frameworks.

Major Schemes

(1) PMKSY–HKKP (Har Khet Ko Pani) – RRR of Water Bodies

• Objective: Restore storage capacity, improve command area irrigation, groundwater recharge.
• States may propose individual or cluster water bodies, including transient-storage structures.
• GIS-based census → unique code + geo-tagging for every approved water body.
• Funding: Rs. 545.35 crore CA released till 31 March 2025.
• Components:
  • Desiltation
  • Catchment treatment
  • Bund/sluice strengthening
  • Irrigation canal repair
  • Command area development

(2) Irrigation Census Scheme (Minor Irrigation Statistics Wing)

• 100% centrally sponsored.
• Creates national database on:
  • MI structures
  • Major/medium irrigation
  • Water bodies & springs
• Basis for planning & PMKSY approvals.

(3) Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch The Rain (JSA: CTR) – 2025

• Theme: “Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari: Jan Jagrukta ki Or”.
• Focus: 148 groundwater-stressed districts.
• Outcomes till 09.12.2025:
  • 1.97 crore water-related works (desilting, recharge pits, tank repairs).
  • 712 Jal Shakti Kendras established.
• Focus areas:
  • Renovation of traditional tanks
  • Encroachment removal
  • Inventory creation
  • Community awareness & behavioural change

(4) AMRUT & AMRUT 2.0

• Urban water security mission.
• Water body rejuvenation is a core component.
• 3031 projects approved; Rs. 6270.51 crore sanctioned.
• PPP provisioning:
  • 10% of funds for water body rejuvenation projects in million-plus cities can be executed in PPP mode.
• AMRUT Mitra Initiative:
  • Engaging women SHGs for water quality monitoring, demand management.

Technological Interventions

• Geo-tagging of each water body under PMKSY.
• GIS mapping to assess catchment, inflow pathways, encroachment boundaries.
• Unique Code System for uniform identification.
• Scientific desiltation:
  • Sediment analysis
  • Capacity computation
• Hydrological modelling:
  • Outflow–inflow modelling
  • Flood cushioning behaviour
• Digital dashboards:
  • Real-time monitoring (CWC, State Water Resources Departments).

Best Practices (National & International)

• Hydrological & Structural Assessment before restoration.
• Catchment Area Treatment → vegetation revival, erosion control.
• Silt reuse protocols → for agriculture, brick making (as per sediment quality).
• Strengthening bunds, sluices & spillways.
• Integrated watershed approach (sub-basin scale).
• Nature-based solutions:
  • Wetlands as bio-filters
  • Floating wetlands for nutrient removal
• International templates:
  • Japan: community-managed satoyama ponds.
  • Spain: ancient acequia systems revived through participatory irrigation communities.

Community & PPP Models

• Water User Associations (WUAs): planning + O&M.
• Panchayati Raj Institutions: ownership and monitoring.
• Local NGOs: technical/social mobilization support.
• Women SHGs (AMRUT Mitra): water testing and demand management.
• PPP involvement:
  • Up to 10% fund utilization in AMRUT cities.
  • Potential models: lakefront development + ecological restoration.

Major Challenges

• Fragmented ownership (Revenue, WRD, Urban Local Bodies).
• Chronic encroachments and weak enforcement.
• Urban sewerage inflow into traditional lakes.
• Climate variability reducing inflows.
• Over-focus on beautification vs. hydrological restoration.
• Lack of post-restoration maintenance funds.

Conservation of Snow Leopards

Why Is It in News?

• Parliament reply (11 Dec 2025) detailed India’s first nationwide Snow Leopard Census (SPAI), population estimates, methodology, and follow-up conservation strategy.
• SPAI 2.0 launched in Wildlife Week 2025.
• Updated actions under NSLEP, Project Snow Leopard, and SECURE Himalaya highlighted.
• Reaffirmation of Schedule I protection, biosphere reserve coverage, and landscape-level conservation.

Relevance

GS3 – Environment, Biodiversity, Climate Change

• Snow leopard as a keystone & flagship species → indicator of ecosystem health.
• SPAI as a model for scientific wildlife monitoring in India.
• Landscape-level conservation planning under NSLEP and Project Snow Leopard.
• Climate change impacts on alpine prey species and habitat range shifts.
• Biosphere reserves and PA networks strengthening India’s biodiversity commitments.

Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)

• Apex predator of High Himalayas (3,000–5,000 m).
• Keystone species maintaining prey–predator balance.
• Flagship for high-altitude ecosystem conservation.
• Range: Ladakh, J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh.
• The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, a status changed from Endangered in 2017

Ecological roles:

• Controls herbivore populations (bharal, ibex, argali).
• Indicator of habitat integrity and climate change vulnerability.

 First Nationwide Snow Leopard Census (SPAI)

A. Population Estimate (2019–2023)

• Total = 718 individuals
  • Ladakh – 477
  • Uttarakhand – 124
  • Himachal Pradesh – 51
  • Arunachal Pradesh – 36
  • Sikkim – 21
  • J&K – 9

B. Scale & Coverage

• 1,20,000 km² surveyed
• 70% of India’s potential snow leopard range covered.

C. Scientific Framework

• Two-stage methodology:
  • Stage 1: Occupancy-based sampling → mapping spatial distribution.
  • Stage 2: Camera trap-based abundance estimation (stratified).
• Field effort:
  • 13,450 km walked for sign surveys.
  • 1,971 camera-trap stations.
  • 1,80,000 trap nights.
  • 241 distinct snow leopards identified.

D. Coordination

• Lead: Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
• Partners: Range States/UTs + local NGOs.

E. SPAI 2.0 (Launched 2025)

• Stronger scientific framework:
  • Improved population monitoring cycle.
  • Multi-taxa assessments (associated species).
  • Expanded community-led conservation modules.

Conservation Architecture and Government Support

A. Species Recovery Programme (Centrally Sponsored: Development of Wildlife Habitats)

• Snow leopard is one of 24 species under targeted recovery.
• Funding for:
  • Anti-poaching and patrolling
  • Habitat restoration
  • Scientific research
  • Community conflict mitigation

B. Foundation for Strategic Action

• SPAI findings are baseline for:
  • Long-term monitoring
  • Landscape-level interventions
  • Habitat quality assessment
  • Species recovery benchmarks

 National Snow Leopard Ecosystem Protection Priorities (NSLEP)

• India’s long-term strategy for high-altitude biodiversity.
• Prioritized actions:
  • Habitat protection and corridor management
  • Climate-resilient conservation planning
  • Strengthened research and monitoring
  • Community-based stewardship

Project Snow Leopard (PSL)

• Multi-state initiative involving:
  • Ladakh, J&K, HP, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh
• Anchored in:
  • Landscape approach: conservation beyond PAs.
  • Participatory management with herders and local communities.
  • Livelihood diversification to reduce ecological pressure.

Secure Himalaya

• India–UNDP–GEF partnership.
• Objective:
  • Protect high-altitude Himalayan ecosystems.
  • Conserve snow leopard populations.
  • Enhance local livelihoods (eco-tourism, handicrafts, sustainable grazing).
  • Reduce human–wildlife conflict.

Legal & Policy Protection

• Schedule I, Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 → highest protection.
• High-altitude PA network expansion.
• Enforced through:
  • Anti-poaching units
  • Habitat protection forces
  • Inter-agency coordination (Army, ITBP, local forest departments)

 Biosphere Reserves Securing Snow Leopard Habitat

• Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve (HP) → part of UNESCO WNBR; 7,770 km² habitat.
• Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (Uttarakhand).
• Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve (Sikkim).

These secure critical alpine, cold desert, and trans-Himalayan landscapes.

Long-Term Conservation Focus

• Landscape-level conservation (not just PAs).
• Scientific monitoring (SPAI cycle).
• Habitat degradation prevention:
  • Regulating grazing
  • Reducing fragmentation
  • Controlling infrastructure expansion
• Community-based programs:
  • Insurance schemes for livestock depredation
  • Predator-proof corrals
  • Eco-development committees
• Inter-agency collaboration:
  • MoEFCC, WII, State Forest Departments, ITBP, Local Councils

Key Challenges

• Human–wildlife conflict (livestock predation).
• Climate change reducing alpine prey availability.
• Infrastructure expansion in fragile zones (roads, defence, tourism).
• Sparse population & difficult terrain → monitoring challenges.
• Limited baseline ecological data before SPAI.