Figure 2.11 Village‐wise literacy.
Table 2.7 Socio‐economic characteristics of three resource user groups based on a questionnaire survey (N = 147).
| S. no. | Characteristics | Labor | Landowner | Business |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Households (%) | 53.06 | 26.53 | 20.41 |
| 2 | Average household size | 7.2 | 6.4 | 6.6 |
| 3 | Literacy (%) | 31 | 46 | 42 |
| 4 | Pakka houses (%) | 31 | 81 | 41 |
| 5 | Electrified households (%) | 13 | 81 | 31 |
| 6 | Cattle owning households (%) | 82.4 | 76.34 | 41.65 |
| 7 | Landholding (mean ± SD) (ha) | 0.015 ± 0.003 | 1.6 ± 0.72 | 0.4 ± 0.08 |
| 8 | Involved in agriculture (%) | 92 | 100 | 85 |
| 9 | Engaged in other services (%) | – | 21 | – |
| 10 | Unemployment (%) | 78 | – | – |
| 11 | Average household income (INR/household/year) | 18 500 ± 2532 | 60 000 ± 2632 | 37 000 ± 1236 |
2.3.7.3 Attitude for Conservation
The responses regarding the conservation of this wetland are summarized in Table 2.9. Most of the population (71.43%) was not aware of the protected status of this wetland, but they were very positive in their attitude to conserve it, with no compromises in access to the resources.
Table 2.8 Dependence of resource user groups (in %) on wetland resources and their use.
| S. no. | Resources | Labor | Landowner | Business | Common uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biomass | 86 | 15 | 62 | Cattle fodder, fuel |
| 2 | Open land | 72 | 92 | 76 | Agriculture |
| 3 | Water | 80 | 56 | 82 | Irrigation |
| 4 | Construction material | 60 | 43 | 60 | House surface fill |
Table 2.9 Attitude of people for conservation.
| S. no. | Questions | Responses (in %); N = 147 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | ||
| 1 | About the awareness of the protected status of the wetland | 28.57 | 71.43 |
| 2 | Making arrangements to retain water throughout the year | 61.22 | 38.78 |
| 3 | Allowing cultivation on open land after the water recedes | 89.8 | 10.2 |
| 4 | Developing it as a tourist site | 69.39 | 30.61 |
| 5 | Whether any change has been observed in the agriculture pattern in the wetland | 92.8 | 7.2 |
| 6 | Complete draining of wetland and allowing the land for agriculture | 10.2 | 89.8 |
| 7 | Complete ban on the access to wetland resources | 0 | 100 |
2.4 Discussion
Many of the wetlands in India support the livelihood of thousands of people every day, however, an increasing population and their encroachment into the wetlands either directly or indirectly pose a threat of degradation. In addition, the variations in climatic conditions, especially rainfall and temperature, which are crucial
