Three wetlands from Tamil Nadu and One each from Mizoram & Madhya Pradesh have been identified under the Ramsar Convention, which is also called as “Convention on Wetlands”. Thus, India has added Five new Ramsar Wetlands Sites of international importance. With the latest addition, total number of Ramsar Sites in India has reached to 54, as opposed to 49 earlier.
New Ramsar Sites include;
- Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest, Tamil Nadu: It is a freshwater marsh in Chennai. It is the only surviving wetland ecosystem Chennai. It is counted among last remaining natural wetlands of South India.
- Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu: It is a 61.21-hectare protected area located in Kancheepuram District of Tamil Nadu. It is located at a distance of 75 km from Chennai.
- Pichavaram Mangrove, Tamil Nadu: It is located near Chidambaram in Cuddalore District of Tamil Nadu. It covers an area of 1100 hectares and thus counted among largest mangrove forests in country.
- Pala wetland, Mizoram: It is the largest natural wetland in Mizoram. The wetland is surrounded by green woodlands. It is known for rich diversity of animal species including several species of animals and birds.
- Sakhya Sagar, Madhya Pradesh: This lake is an integral part of Madhav National Park in Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh.
About Ramsar Convention:
The Ramsar convention was established by UNESCO on February 2, 1971. It is an intergovernmental environmental treaty, named after Ramsar city in Iran because it was signed there. The convention came into effect on 1975. It encourages the international cooperation and national action to conserve the wetlands and sustainably use their resources. Under it, wetlands of international importance are identified worldwide.
