Biswabrata Goswami
KRISHNAGAR, 2 FEB: On the curving edge of the Jalangi river, where a horseshoe-shaped wetland quietly sustains life beyond public notice, students traded classrooms for the field on Monday to underline a simple but urgent truth: wetlands are vanishing, and with them, vital ecological safeguards.
Marking World Wetlands Day, environmental group Save Jalangi, in collaboration with the Department of Geography, Krishnagar Women’s College, organised a field-based wetland survey and awareness programme at Hansadanga Beel, drawing enthusiastic participation from students and teachers alike. The initiative sought to assess the present health of the wetland while sensitising young minds and local residents to its ecological importance.
Divided into multiple groups, the students undertook systematic observations of the beel’s physical and chemical water parameters, documented plant and animal diversity, examined signs of human intervention, and prepared basic thematic maps of the area. A symbolic cleanliness drive was also carried out along the wetland’s periphery, drawing attention to the growing menace of plastic and solid waste pollution.
Faculty members of the Geography department guided the students through hands-on field methods, reinforcing the importance of experiential learning in understanding complex environmental systems. Interactions with residents living around Hansadanga Beel offered valuable insights into changing land use patterns, declining water quality, and the pressures exerted by unregulated human activities.
Environmental experts present at the programme stressed that wetlands such as Hansadanga Beel act as natural buffers against floods, recharge groundwater, support fish breeding and sustain rich biodiversity. Yet, they warned that encroachment, pollution and neglect are steadily eroding these fragile ecosystems.
Representatives of Save Jalangi highlighted that the survival of rivers is closely linked to the protection of adjoining wetlands, calling for greater community involvement and policy attention. They also underlined the role of educational institutions in nurturing environmental responsibility among the younger generation.
The programme concluded with participants taking a collective pledge to protect wetlands and to carry forward the message of conservation within their communities—an effort to ensure that Hansadanga Beel continues to breathe life into the Jalangi landscape for years to come.
