Ramsar Sites in India 2023: New, List of 75 Total Ramsar Sites in India

Ramsar Sites in India

Ramsar Sites or Wetlands in India are sites voted to be of worldwide significance under the Ramsar Convention, also known as the Convention on Wetlands. A Ramsar Site is any wetland area recognized by the Ramsar Convention as having the potential to benefit from conservation and sustainable use of its natural resources. After the newly added Ramsar Sites, there are 75 Total Ramsar Sites in India. 

Ramsar Sites in India 2023 PDF

An intergovernmental environmental treaty is related to conserving wetlands and prudent sustainable use of the resources. This treaty was signed at Ramsar, a city in Iran. All this is done through local and national actions and international cooperation worldwide. The different countries and NGOs started the negotiations in the 1960s, signed in 1971 and finally came into force in 1975.

Latest Ramsar Sites in India

In the 75th year of Independence, in August 2022, 11 New Ramsar Sites in India were added to the list. Of the 11 Latest Ramsar Sites in India, 4 are in Tamil Nadu, and 3 in Odisha. 2 Newly Added Ramsar Sites in India are located in Jammu & Kashmir and 1 each in MP and Maharashtra.

The Recently added Ramsar Sites in India would help conserve and manage these wetlands and enable sustainable and wise use of their resources.

Newly Added Ramsar Sites in India

The Latest Ramsar Sites in India added are as follows 

• Tampara Lake, Odisha
• Hirakud Reservoir, Odisha
• Ansupa Lake, Odisha
• Yashwant Sagar, Odisha
• Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh
• Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex, Tamil Nadu
• Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu
• Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu
• Thane Creek, Maharashtra
• Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve, Jammu and Kashmir
• Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve, Jammu and Kashmir

Total Ramsar Sites in India

Presently, there are around 2400 Ramsar sites in the world. After the latest addition of the Ramsar sites in India, there are a total 75 Wetlands in India. State-wise distribution of the total Ramsar sites is mentioned below.

List of Ramsar Sites in India

Ramsar Sites in India are declared under the Ramsar Convention, established by UNESCO in 1971. Ramsar Convention was signed with the aim of making wise use of the wetlands with national, international, and also local corporations for sustainable development of the overall world. Below mentioned is the list of the Total Number of Ramsar Sites in India.

Ramsar Sites Meaning

Ramsar Sites in India are wetlands that are designated as such under the Ramsar Convention. It is an intergovernmental environmental treaty related to conserving wetlands and prudent sustainable use of the resources. This treaty was signed at Ramsar, a city in Iran. The convention for Wetlands in India works on three pillars that define the purpose of the Ramsar sites:

1. To work towards the wise use of all wetlands.
2. Designate suitable wetlands for the Wetlands of International Importance list and ensure their effective management.
3. Cooperate internationally on transboundary wetlands, shared wetland systems, and shared species.

Features of Ramsar Sites in India

The Ramsar Convention believes in putting a stop to the universal loss of wetlands and preserving them through judicious use and administration of those that remain. International cooperation, policy-making, capacity building, and technology transfer are behind all this.

• The insertion of a Ramsar Site in the List symbolizes the government's assurance to take the steps required to sustain its environmental temperament.
• There are nine criteria for identifying wetlands of international importance, especially those providing waterfowl habitat.

Significance of Ramsar Sites in India

The Ramsar Convention is unique in that it remains the only global convention, the objective of which is to protect and conserve a particular type of ecosystem including plant and animal life (in particular waterfowl), all needing support in the wetland. 

• The mission of the Ramsar Convention is the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local, regional, and national actions and international cooperation to achieve sustainable development worldwide.
• Ramsar Convention via Ramsar Sites in India has two-fold objectives, viz. Preservation and sustainable use of wetlands bring to a standstill the intrusion and loss of wetlands. It is not a legally binding treaty and is not a part of UN & UNESCO conventions.

Ramsar Sites in India 2023 Highlights

Ramsar sites in India are the major safeguarded sites in the country. International Wetland Day is marked every year on 2 February. Ramsar Convention act operates in partnership with agencies like Birdlife International, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Wetlands International, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), WWF International, and Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT).

Below mentioned are some highlights of the Ramsar Sites in India.

Ramsar Sites in India UPSC

Ramsar Sites in India are an important topic from environment and ecology that helps answer questions on environmental concerns, actions, issues, etc. The knowledge about the same, along with the methods to conserve by the government, can be learned by referring to the Geography Book for UPSC as well as NCERT Books for UPSC. One can download these books to study for the exams and make their mark.

Ramsar Sites UPSC Question

Candidates should read the relevant facts and the list about the Ramsar sites and the Ramsar convention for UPSC Exam preparation. Objective-type questions based on the Ramsar Sites can be included in the UPSC Prelims Question Paper.

Prelims 2019 Question - Consider the following statements:

1. Under Ramsar Convention, it is mandatory on the part of the Government of India to protect and conserve all the wetlands in the Indian territory.
2. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India based on the recommendation of the Ramsar Convention.
3. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 also encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands as determined by the authority.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 3 only
4. 1,2 and 3

Answer - C