4 sites are add-ons to Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (NATIONAL)

What are wetlands?

    Natural wetlands are saturated with water year-round or seasonally, providing a habitat for aquatic vegetation. They can hold a lot of water and release it slowly, making them useful in dealing with harsh weather like floods and droughts. Wetlands, often known as "kidneys of the landscape," help with water purification, water regulation, biodiversity, beauty, and recreation, according to the UN. 

    According to a survey by the NGO Wetland International, India has the most wetlands in South Asia, with 7.7 lakh spanning 4.6 percent of the country's land area. Under the Ramsar Convention, India gained another feather in its cap when four further sites, two each from Haryana and Gujarat, were designated as wetlands of international importance. 

    The development, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a source of pride. "It is a matter of pride for us that four Indian sites get Ramsar recognition. This once again manifests India's centuries-old ethos of preserving natural habitats, working towards flora and fauna protection, and building a greener planet," PM Modi said on Twitter.

    After the latest addition, the Union Environment Ministry said, India now has 46 such sites.

Ramsar Convention

    The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty adopted on February 2, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea. It came into force for India on February 1, 1982. Those wetlands which are of international importance are declared as Ramsar sites. Last year, Ramsar declared 10 more wetland sites from India as sites of international importance.

The goal of the Ramsar list, according to the environment ministry, is to build and maintain an international network of wetlands that are vital for the conservation of global biological variety and for the survival of human life by maintaining ecosystem components, processes, and benefits.

    This year's additions to the list are Sultanpur National Park in Gurgaon and Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary in Jhajjar (both in Haryana). Apart from that, the Gujarati tribes of Thol and Wadhwana have joined the convention. Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary in Haryana is a man-made freshwater wetland. 

It is also Haryana's largest. Throughout the year, around 250 bird species use the sanctuary as a resting and roosting spot. The endangered Egyptian Vulture, Steppe Eagle, Pallas's Fish Eagle, and Black-bellied Tern are among the more than ten internationally threatened species that call the location home.

    More than 220 species of resident, winter migratory, and local migratory waterbirds may be found at Sultanpur National Park at various phases of their life cycles. More than ten of them are endangered on a global scale. Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat is home to around 320 bird species and is located on the Central Asian Flyway.

 

    More than 30 threatened waterbird species live in the wetlands, including the highly endangered White-rumped Vulture and Sociable Lapwing, as well as the vulnerable Sarus Crane, Common Pochard, and Lesser White-fronted Goose.

    Meanwhile, the Wadhvana Wetland in Gujarat is notable for its birdlife since it serves as a wintering habitat for migrating waterbirds, including over 80 species that migrate via the Central Asian Flyway. The 46 Ramsar sites in India include the Chilika Lake in Odisha, Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan, Harike Lake in Punjab, Loktak Lake in Manipur, and Wular Lake in Jammu and Kashmir.