India adds five more Ramsar sites

News Highlight

• India has added five more Ramsar sites, or wetlands of international importance, bringing the number of such sites in the country to 54.

Key Takeaways.

• 5 more Indian wetlands that have received Ramsar recognition as wetlands of international importance. They are
• Karikili Bird Sanctuary-Tamil Nadu
  • It Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu
  • These sanctuaries are famous for their breeding heronry, including cormorants, egrets, grey heron, open-billed stork, darter, spoonbill, white lbnis, night herons, grebes, grey pelicans etc
• Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest -Tamil Nadu
  • It is one of the last remaining natural wetlands in Chennai city.
  • It is locally known by the generic Tamil name ‘kazhuveli’ which means “a flood plain or waterlogged area.
  • On its eastern periphery, the Marsh is flanked by the Buckingham Canal.
• Pichavaram Mangrove -Tamil Nadu
  • It is in Tamil Nadu.
  • The Pichavaram Mangrove Forest near Chidambaram is the world’s second largest mangrove forest.
• The Sakhya Sagar 
  • Sakhya Sagar Lake is located in Madhya Pradesh 
  • The Sakhya Sagar Lake helps in maintaining the ecological balance of the Madhav National Park.
• The Pala Wetlands – Mizoram
  • It is in Mizoram.
  • It is surrounded by lush green woodlands, and mountains and home to a range of animals, birds, amphibians and reptiles.

Ramsar Site:

• Ramsar recognition is an intergovernmental environmental treaty which was established by UNESCO in 1971.
• It is named after Ramsar, a city in Iran where the convention was signed. 
• It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands.
• This recognises wetlands around the world that are internationally important and provide a safe habitat for waterfowl.
• A total of 2,500 sites, across different countries and regions, have received Ramsar recognition.

The benefits of being a site declared as a Ramsar Site include:

• Being a Ramsar site has meant that local people can practice sustainable agriculture, fishing, forestry and tourism.
• A Ramsar designation helps with planning the sustainable development of the area.

Wetlands:

• As per the Ramsar Convention, a wetland is defined as ‘areas of marsh, fen, peatland 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 tides does not exceed six metres’.
• Wetlands provide a wide range of important resources and ecosystem services such as food, water, fiber, groundwater recharge, water purification, flood moderation, erosion control, and climate regulation.
• They are, in fact, a major source of water, and our main supply of freshwater comes from an array of wetlands that help soak up rainfall and recharge groundwater.

Ramsar Sites in India:

Pic Courtesy: Indianwetlands.in

Content: Outlook India.

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Created on July 27, 2022 By Pavithra

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Consider the following statements.

1. Ramsar recognition is an intergovernmental environmental treaty which was established by UNESCO in 1992.
2. Wetlands provide a wide range of important resources and ecosystem services, such as food, water, fiber, and groundwater recharge. 

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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