India’s Ramsar Sites Increase to 103

Sukhna Wetland and Sauj Jheel have been added to the list of Wetlands of International Importance, taking India’s total Ramsar Sites to 103.

India has added Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh to the list of Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.
With these additions, the total number of Ramsar Sites in India has increased to 103.

Location: Chandigarh, at the foothills of the Outer Himalayas.
It is a peri-urban reservoir that helps regulate water and sediment flowing from its surrounding catchment.
Seasonal changes in water levels create different habitats, including open water, vegetation, scrub and forest.
It provides feeding, breeding, resting and wintering grounds for resident and migratory waterbirds.
The wetland is important for birds travelling along the Central Asian Flyway.
Important species include:
- Common pochard – Vulnerable.
- Pallas’s fish eagle – Endangered.
- Black pond turtle – Endangered.
Major management concerns include sediment inflow and invasive species.

Location: Uttar Pradesh, in the Ganga River floodplain.
It is a shallow lake surrounded by agricultural land and forms part of a wider network of wetlands.
It is located near Saman Bird Sanctuary, another Ramsar Site.
The wetland supports plants such as lotus and wild sugarcane.
It regularly supports more than 30,000 waterbirds and is also recognised as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA).
Important species include the vulnerable sarus crane and greater spotted eagle.
Proposed conservation measures include seasonal restrictions on fishing, limiting fine-mesh fishing nets and controlling cattle access.

The new designations strengthen the protection of important wetland ecosystems and their biodiversity.
They also highlight the role of wetlands in water regulation, floodplain ecology, habitat protection and migratory bird conservation.

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
It was adopted on 2 February 1971 at Ramsar, Iran, and came into force on 21 December 1975.
World Wetlands Day is observed every year on 2 February to mark its adoption.
The Convention has a broad definition of wetlands, covering:
- Lakes, rivers and underground aquifers
- Peatlands, oases and estuaries
- Deltas, tidal flats and mangroves
- Coral reefs
- Human-made wetlands such as rice fields, reservoirs, salt pans and fish ponds
Initially, the Convention focused mainly on waterfowl conservation, but its scope later expanded to include the wider ecological, economic and cultural importance of wetlands.

Conservation: Protect and restore wetlands and maintain their ecological character.
Wise Use: Promote sustainable use of wetland resources.
International Cooperation: Encourage cooperation between countries, particularly for transboundary wetlands.
Biodiversity Conservation: Protect habitats of migratory birds, aquatic species and endangered species.
Climate Benefits: Promote the role of wetlands in carbon storage, flood control and water-cycle regulation.
Public Awareness: Increase awareness about the ecological and economic importance of wetlands.

A Ramsar Site is a wetland recognised as being of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
Such sites support biodiversity and provide important ecosystem services, including:
- Flood control
- Groundwater recharge
- Water purification
- Carbon storage
- Climate regulation
- Support for fisheries, agriculture and tourism

The Montreux Record is a register of Ramsar Sites where the ecological character has undergone, or is likely to undergo, significant changes.
Such changes may result from human activities or other factors and indicate the need for greater conservation attention.
Two Indian Ramsar Sites are listed in the Montreux Record:
- Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan – listed in 1990, mainly due to water shortage and grazing-related concerns.
- Loktak Lake, Manipur - listed in 1993, due to human-induced changes and pollution.

Practice Question

Consider the following statements regarding Ramsar Sites and the Ramsar Convention:

The Ramsar Convention recognises both natural and human-made wetlands, including rice fields, reservoirs and fish ponds.
The inclusion of a wetland in the Montreux Record necessarily means that the site has lost its status as a Ramsar Site.
Sukhna Wetland is significant for waterbirds using the Central Asian Flyway, while Sauj Jheel forms part of the wetland network of the Ganga floodplain.
The Ramsar Convention initially focused primarily on waterfowl conservation, but its scope subsequently expanded to include the wider ecological, economic and cultural importance of wetlands.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1, 3 and 4 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: (a) 1, 3 and 4 only

Statement 1 is correct. The Ramsar Convention has a broad definition of wetlands and includes human-made wetlands such as rice fields, reservoirs, salt pans and fish ponds, apart from natural ecosystems.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The Montreux Record does not mean that a wetland loses its Ramsar status. It identifies Ramsar Sites where the ecological character has changed or is likely to change significantly and therefore require greater conservation attention.
Statement 3 is correct. Sukhna Wetland provides habitat for resident and migratory waterbirds along the Central Asian Flyway, while Sauj Jheel is located in the Ganga River floodplain and forms part of a wider wetland network.
Statement 4 is correct. The Convention initially concentrated mainly on waterfowl conservation. Its scope later broadened to cover the wider ecological, economic and cultural importance of wetlands.