Who Will Save Deepor Beel, Which Now Symbolizes “Paradox of Sustainable Development”?

By Aanesha Sharma

“The area of Deepor Beel has significantly reduced. It has become quite small. There has been so much landfilling, and now they are selling that land to build apartments and what not”, long-time fisherman and the secretary of Deepor Beel Paspara Samabay Samiti, Mr. Golok Das told Pratidin Time. 

Deepor Beel, Assam’s only Ramsar site and a once-thriving wetland ecosystem, known for its tranquil waters and rich biodiversity, is now under severe threat. Rampant pollution, encroachment, and governmental apathy have pushed the wetland to the brink of ecological collapse. The voices from the ground, those of locals, fishers, and conservationists, paint a grim picture of what is at stake if immediate conservation efforts are not undertaken. While official narratives often cite efforts to conserve and "develop" the area, the reality reveals an alarming pattern of destruction. The very forces that claim to protect Deepor Beel become the ones contributing to its slow disappearance.

Continued Shrinking of The Ramsar Site

Encroachment of Deepor Beel has been occurring both visibly and insidiously. The area designated under the Ramsar Convention has yet to be clearly defined on the ground, which has opened possibilities for both legal ambiguities and illegal land acquisition. 

The problem is exacerbated by government-led development that, under the guise of eco-tourism or urban expansion, endangers the wetland’s ecosystem. Das observes how the vast stretches of the wetland, once abundant with fish and vegetation, have been replaced by construction sites and concrete structures. 

What sets the story of Deepor Beel apart is that the primary encroachers are not just private individuals acting in isolation but several institutional actors and responsible authorities. Residents allege that state actions have played a significant role in the wetland’s degradation. 

As Pramod Kalita, the General Secretary of Deepor Beel Suraksha Mancha, puts it, “Many of the government actions and projects have put the wetland in danger…such policies have destroyed many other natural wetlands as well.”

The construction of roads, buildings, and even proposals for cycle tracks around the Beel are often promoted under the banner of eco-tourism or "development." However, for the communities dependent on the Beel for their livelihood, such developments are ominous. This is where the paradox becomes stark, the development intended to make nature more accessible ends up destroying the very nature they aim to celebrate. This kind of development only satisfies the upper-class and displaces those who have sustained the waters for generations. For over 800 families who depend on the Beel on a daily, the loss of land and water has translated directly into a loss of livelihood. 

Apart from this, one of the many dangers to Deepor Beel is pollution, particularly from solid waste. The dumping of Guwahati city’s garbage into and around the Beel has transformed it into a virtual cesspool. Plastic, medical syringes, and other toxic waste now fill the waters that were once known for being serene and unsullied. This toxic accumulation has degraded the water quality to such an extent that both wildlife and humans are adversely affected. The foul smell from the Beel is now a common complaint among residents in the area.

Communities have responded with resilience, organising themselves into cooperatives, investing their own resources in cleaning efforts, and even restocking the Beel with fish. But without a secure and protected environment, these efforts are all just temporary fixes. Encroachment reduces not only ecological space but also cultural and economic agency, marginalising those whose lives are connected with the Beel.

The Urgent Need

The ecological impact of encroachment cannot be overstated. Deepor Beel is made of several microhabitats, each interdependent on the others. The effects of one section have ripple effects across the system. Bird populations are dwindling, not only in number but in diversity. The number of migratory birds recorded this year dropped to around 12,245 from around 26,000 just two years ago. 

Elephants, which once spent weeks by the Beel, now make brief, wary visits, disturbed by noise, shrinking habitat, and polluted waters. This fragmentation of habitat, driven by unregulated development and encroachment, accelerates the wetland’s ecological collapse. What was once a complex and resilient ecosystem is now becoming a series of disconnected and degraded patches.

In its current trajectory, Deepor Beel reveals the paradox at the heart of much of India’s developmental vision. When policies and projects fail to account for ecological limits and local livelihoods, "development" becomes another word for dispossession. Conservation is not just about fencing off land but about integrating human and ecological needs through accountable governance.

Kalita captures this urgency when he says, “If we don't take proper actions now, Deepor Beel will cease to exist, and if Deepor Beel dies, it will impact the entire city and create imbalance.”

Deepor Beel stands at a critical crossroads. Continued neglect and exploitation will not only cease the existence of a wetland but will also indicate the collapse of an entire socio-ecological system. 

As one of the residents expressed, “If we don't save it now, our future generations will not even know what Deepor Beel was. They will only be able to read it in history books.” This haunting possibility should be enough to serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, conservationists, and the public alike.

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