Ghaziabad, one of the biggest districts in India, has lost its wetlands due to encroachments, environmentalists said on the International Wetland Day on Friday.
Vijay Pal Singh Baghel, a green activist, said there were 149 water bodies in the district earlier. Now only 21 survived.
This has pushed down the water table in Ghaziabad from 21 feet deep to 175 feet. And this is getting reduced by 2 to 3 feet annually.
"Not only private persons but even government bodies are to blame for the destruction of these water bodies," said Baghel.
The Hindon bird sanctuary, which was once spread over 27 hectare, is now non-existent, he said.
Similarly, Arthala lake has reduced from 27 acres to a mere 3 acres due to encroachment by greedy individuals.
--IANS
sps/mr/rn
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