India adds 10 more wetlands designated as Ramsar sites
Recently, India has designated 10 wetlands as ‘Ramsar sites’. Thus the total number of Ramsar sites in the country has now increased to 64.
It may be noted that many sites in India are already notified under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management Rules 2017) of the Central Government, which means that these water bodies as well as their areas of influence Within the ‘development activities’ are regulated.
The designation of a site as a Ramsar site means that these sites will now be on the ‘global map’ for their importance in providing ecological services.
To be designated as a Ramsar site, a site has to meet nine criteria, including its services as a habitat.
10 new wetlands:
- Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu)
- Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve (Tamil Nadu)
- Vembanoor Wetland Complex (Kanya Kumari, Tamil Nadu)
- Velode Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu)
- Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu)
- Udayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu)
- Satkosia Gorge (Odisha)
- Nanda Lake (Goa)
- Ranganathitu Bird Sanctuary (Karnataka)
- Sirpur Wetland (Madhya Pradesh)
Ramsar Convention-
- The ‘Ramsar Convention’ is an international agreement to promote the conservation of wetlands. This convention was signed on 2 February 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the coast of the Caspian Sea, hence it is called ‘Ramsar Convention’.
- Officially, it is called the ‘Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat’.
Montreux Records:
- The Montreux Record is a register of wetland sites in the List of Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. It includes ecologically threatened wetlands due to human interference and pollution.
- It is retained as part of the Ramsar list.
- The Montreux Record was established under the recommendations of the ‘Conference of the Contracting Parties’, 1990.
- Any site in a Montreux record may be added and removed only with the consent of the Contracting Parties concerned.
Source – The Hindu
