Ramsar designated wetlands of Northeast India are under imminent threatWetlands contribute to the environment in a number of ways including regulating water quantity, groundwater recharge, protecting the ecosystem against floods and drought, acts as erosion control and sediment transport. It also provides as an important habitat for migratory birds and other species. However, threats like draining of wetland, construction works, climate change and dumping zones are contributing to the degradation of these natural habitats.India is blessed with a total of 899 natural and man-made wetlands. Amongst these 49 sites have been recognized to be of “international importance” under the Ramsar Convention. In Northeast India, the three Ramsar sites are- Deepor Beel in Assam, Loktak Lake in Manipur and Rudrasagar in Tripura.

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Natural and anthropogenic causes are some of the major threats that the lake is facing. This includes the proliferation of human settlements, expansion of roads and industries, threat from construction of broad-gauge RAILWAY line on the periphery of the beel that often possess a threat to thereby affecting the movement of the pachyderms. Another major threat is posed by the dumping ground in the nearby area close to the water body. The situation worsens during the monsoon as garbage gets carried away into the water body, affecting residents and migratory birds and fish.