The Pallikaranai marsh emits more carbon dioxide and methane than it absorbs, a study by Anna University’s Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation Research has shown.
Sediment samples picked from undisturbed and disturbed areas show that 0.0020 gigagrams/year of carbon dioxide is absorbed, while 18.2 gigagrams per year is emitted.
“We have studied the sediment in the marsh andmeasured the carbon sequestration in what is left of the wetland and the garbage dump. The dump emits large amounts of methane and carbon dioxide. Unless the marsh gets freshwater from its catchment areas and the dump is removed, it cannot absorb more carbon as it should,” explained A. Ramachandran, professor emeritus of the centre.
He was among the experts at a seminar on wetlands organised by the Department of Forests on Saturday who underlined the need for removing the dump yard and allowing freshwater into the wetland.
Natural capital
L. Venkatachalam of the Madras Institute of Development Studies said wetlands should be treated as natural capital, which would help to generate future income.
“In an economy, we treat roads, railways and industries as capital. In a similar manner, we should look at the benefits from wetlands that are called eco-system services, which include drinking water, irrigation, recreation, agriculture, birds and livestock support. The Pallikaranai marsh, for instance, acts as a flood barrier. Right now, since we don’t know the value of eco-system services, wetlands are being treated as wastelands, which is why they are being used to dispose of solid and liquid waste,” he explained.
Forest Minister Dindigul C. Sreenivasan, who inaugurated the seminar, explained that the State government had retrieved hundreds of acres of forests lands that were encroached upon by industries and individuals.
