India’s five more wetlands gets Ramsar recognition, tally rises to 54

New Delhi: India five more wetlands have got Ramsar recognition as wetlands of international importance. With this India has now a total of 54 ramsar sites in the country.

These sites include three wetlands (Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest & Pichavaram Mangrove) in Tamil Nadu, one (Pala wetland) in Mizoram and one wetland (Sakhya Sagar) in Madhya Pradesh.

The Ramsar sites have been increased from 49 to 54 Ramsar sites.

Congratulating the official over the recognition,  Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said,” Delighted to inform that 5 more Indian wetlands have got Ramsar recognition as wetlands of international importance”

“The emphasis PM Shri  @narendramodi  ji has put on environmental protection and conservation has led to a marked improvement in how India treats its wetlands” he tweeted.

Terming it a “great news” for Tamil Nadu, the Additional Chief Secretary Environment Climate Change & Forests, Govt of Tamil Nadu Supriya Sahu Tweeted, “Three of our wetlands have made it to the coveted list of Ramsar sites. So far Tamil Nadu had only one Ramsar site at Kodiakkarai/Point Calimere. Way to go Team”.  

The Ramsar Convention, which came into existence in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands defines wetlands as “areas of marsh, fen, peat land or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters.”
 
Globally, wetlands cover 6.4 per cent of the geographical area of the world. In India, according to the National Wetland Inventory and Assessment compiled by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), wetlands are spread over 1,52,600 square kilometres (sq km) which is 4.63 per cent of the total geographical area of the country.