Ramsar Sites In India

Answer

Introduction

• Five more sites from India have been recognized under the 1971 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
• Bringing the total number of such designated areas in the country to 54.
• The Ramsar Convention signed on February 2, 1971, is one of the oldest inter-governmental accord signed by members countries to preserve the ecological character of their wetlands of international importance.
• At the time of joining the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, each Contracting Party undertakes to designate at least one wetland site for inclusion in the List of Wetlands of International Importance.
• The inclusion of a “Ramsar Site” in the List embodies the government’s commitment to take the steps necessary to ensure that its ecological character is maintained.
• There are over 2,500 Ramsar Sites on the territories of 170 Ramsar Contracting Parties across the world.
• The countries with the most sites are the United Kingdom with 175 and Mexico with 142.
• Bolivia has the largest area under Ramsar protection.

Ramsar sites in India

• India’s Ramsar wetlands are spread over 11,000 sq km around 10% of the total wetland area in the country across 18 States.
• No other South Asian country has as many sites though this has much to do with India’s geographical breadth and tropical diversity.
• India’s space agency, ISRO, has mapped the country’s wetlands, covering 15.98 million hectares which is around 4.86% of the total geographic area of the country.
• A total of 2,31,195 wetlands (area >= 2.25 ha) have been mapped at 1:50,000 scale during 2017-18.
• There are 54 Ramsar Sites in India.
• Uttar Pradesh has seven wetlands.
• Punjab has six wetlands.
• Tamil Nadu has four wetlands.
• Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala have three wetlands each.
• West Bengal, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have two wetlands each.
• Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Mizoram, Manipur Jammu & Kashmir have one wetland each.
• Largest Ramsar Sites in India (Area in Sq. km)
  • Sunderbans Wetland – West Bengal
  • Vembanad Kol Wetland – Kerala
  • Chilka Lake – Orissa
• Smallest Ramsar Sites in India (Area in Sq. km)
  • Renuka Wetland- Himachal Pradesh
  • Chandertal Wetland – Himachal Pradesh
  • Kanjli Lake – Punjab

Oldest Ramsar Sites in India

• • Chilka Lake – Orissa

Newest Ramsar Sites in India

• • Karikili Bird Sanctuary – Tamil Nadu
  • Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest – Tamil Nadu
  • Pichavaram Mangrove – Tamil Nadu
  • Sakhya Sagar – Madhya Pradesh
  • Pala Wetland – Mizoram.

Karikili Bird Sanctuary

• It is a 61.21-hectare protected area located in the Kancheepuram District of the state of Tamil Nadu.
• About 100 species were recorded from this sanctuary.
• It has been identified as one of the Important Bird Areas of Tamil Nadu.

Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest

• It is a freshwater marsh in the city of Chennai, India.
• It is situated adjacent to the Bay of Bengal, about 20 kilometres (south of the city centre, and has a geographical area of 80 square kilometres.
• Pallikaranai marshland is the only surviving wetland ecosystem of the city and is among the few and last remaining natural wetlands of South India.