Low-Cost Wetland Health Monitoring Platform With Community Reporting

Objective: To empower local communities to monitor and report wetland health using accessible technology for improved biodiversity conservation.

Wetlands and lakes across India face degradation from pollution, encroachment, and unsustainable usage, which threatens biodiversity and the livelihoods of nearby vulnerable communities. The lack of timely, reliable monitoring and reporting mechanisms makes it difficult for local stakeholders and authorities to intervene effectively. This challenge aligns with SDG 15: Life on Land & Biodiversity, specifically focusing on protecting inland water ecosystems.

The proposed solution is a user-friendly platform that integrates open satellite data, on-site sensor readings, and community-reported observations to monitor wetland health. This platform will enable local volunteers, NGOs, and panchayats to submit geo-tagged reports and photos of wetland conditions, pollution events, or biodiversity sightings, which are then visualized alongside real-time environmental data.

Key features include: a mobile/web app for easy community reporting, integration of satellite imagery (ISRO Bhuvan) and public datasets (data.gov.in, OpenStreetMap), low-cost IoT sensor support for water quality metrics, and dashboards for visualization and alerts. The working prototype will demonstrate automated wetland status updates, community engagement workflows, and impact analytics.

Measurable impact includes increased incident reporting, improved wetland health metrics, and actionable alerts for local authorities. The platform can scale across districts and states, adapting to different wetland types and supporting biodiversity protection through community-driven stewardship.