Context

• Union Environment Minister announced three new Ramsar sites in Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh taking the total of such sites in India to 85.

  • The new additions are the Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and the Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, and the Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh.

About the 3 new ramsar sites

• The Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu is located on the banks of river Noyyal.
  • Originally a water reservoir for irrigation use, it has since become a significant ecosystem, supporting a varied range of avifauna.
  • Home to species like the Eurasian coot, spot-billed duck and many types of herons, the wetland also serves various migratory birds flying along the Central Asian Highway, establishing itself as a biodiversity hotspot.
  • It also contributes to the locals’ livelihood through fishing.
• The Kazhuveli Sanctuary on the Coromandel Coast is one of the largest brackish water wetlands in south India.
  • The ecosystem’s mix of salt marshes, mudflats and shallow waters make it a home to many globally endangered species, like the black-headed ibis and greater flamingo.
  • It is also a stopover for migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
  • In storing water, Kazhuveli also helps with flood control and groundwater recharge, helping maintain the region’s water table.
• The Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh is also integral in regional water management.
  • Created by damming the Tawa River, the reservoir became a massive wintering ground for migratory birds.
  • Tawa provides irrigation water to farmlands, drinking water to local communities, and sustains the nearby fisheries.

Back to Basics

What are Ramsar sites?

• The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran.
• It encourages the protection and conservation of wetlands worldwide by designating them as such.
• The selection of Ramsar sites is based on various criteria defined under the convention.
  • For example, “A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions.”
• It also looks at the sites’ capacity to support fishes and waterbirds.
• Organisations like the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the World Wide Fund for Nature, and other environmental agencies are associated with the treaty.
• It also has 172 signatory countries.
• They are obligated to create wetland reserves and promote the wise use of wetland habitats.
• India joined it in 1982, initially designating the Chilika Lake in Orissa and Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan.
• Today, the country has among the highest number of Ramsar sites in Asia.
• The Sundarbans is one of the most renowned wetlands in India.
• Cold desert ecosystems also have wetlands, like the Tso Moriri and Pangong Tso in Ladakh, which include rare and endangered species such as the black-necked crane.

Source: IE

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