The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Keoladeo National Park (KNP) in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, is facing a looming water crisis after lack of monsoon rainfall and absence of annual water supply from Panchana Dam, raising concerns about bird breeding, biodiversity and the park’s fragile wetland ecosystem.
Park officials say the wetlands require 550 million cubic feet of water every year, most of which is traditionally supplied from the Panchana Dam in Karauli via the Ajahn Pond Dam. However, no water has been released from the dam so far this season.
“We did not get any water from Panchana dam this year. Many wetlands have dried up, forcing us to shift fish, the main food source for many birds, from dry areas to water-filled blocks,” said V Chetan Kumar, director of Keoladeo National Park.
The park management is relying on emergency measures, including supplying water through the Chambal drinking water pipeline and groundwater pumping.
“We have requested a weekly supply of three MCFTs from the Chambal pipeline. However, this water is only a temporary relief and cannot meet the environmental requirements of the wetlands,” Kumar said.
According to park officials, the shortage has already begun to affect bird activity, as many species have not begun nesting due to insufficient water levels.
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“The impact will not be limited to wildlife. The long-term water crisis will also affect the livelihoods of naturalists, guides, hoteliers and others whose income depends on tourism associated with the park,” Kumar added.
Keoladeo National Park is home to about 336 bird species and attracts thousands of migratory birds from Europe, Central Asia and Siberia every winter. These birds usually begin arriving in early November and stay until March, while many resident waterbirds breed during the monsoon season.
The park also attracts thousands of domestic and international tourists annually due to its rich bird life and unique wetland ecosystem.
According to Kumar, the annual inflow from Panchana Dam is vital not only to maintain water levels but also to preserve the biodiversity of the park. Historically, floodwaters reaching the park via Ajan Pond carried small fish, plankton, aquatic plants and nutrients, all of which support the wetland’s food chain and ecological productivity.
“The timely release of water sustains breeding colonies of storks, herons, cormorants, ibises and thousands of migratory waterbirds. It is the main driver of the park’s environmental performance,” he said.
With no panchana releases this year and below-normal rainfall, fish mortality has soared, forcing authorities to adopt emergency interventions that they say are insufficient to maintain the ecological health of the wetlands in the long term.
The park administration has written to the district commissioner and water resources department, demanding immediate release of water from Panchana dam.
Officials warned that continued water shortages could invite UNESCO scrutiny again.
Keoladeo was declared a national park in 1982 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. In 2000, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee expressed serious concern about the insufficient release of water and called for the required amount of water to be released from the Panchana Dam between July and September every year.
Subsequent decisions of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in 2016, 2023 and 2025 have repeatedly identified annual water availability as the most important challenge for park conservation.
UNESCO has consistently emphasized that a minimum supply of 550 million cubic feet is necessary to maintain the park’s environmental performance and outstanding universal value, while urging the country to ensure regular annual releases from the Panchana Dam and develop a long-term water security strategy.
The Forest and Wildlife Management Committee, set up by the Rajasthan government in 2005, also recommended that at least 250 million cubic meters of water from the Panchana dam be allocated exclusively to Keoladeo National Park.
