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Ecology & Environment
Mahesh

13/08/21 09:00 AM IST

4 more sites in India added to Ramsar list

In News

  • India added another feather in its cap when four more sites - two each from Haryana and Gujarat - were recognised as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
Details 
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the development a matter 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.
  • With this, the total number of Ramsar sites in India have reached 46, covering a surface area of 1,083,322 hectares.

These sites are:
• Thol, Gujarat
• Wadhwana, Gujarat
• Sultanpur, Haryana
• Bhindawas, Haryana

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.
  • The aim of the Ramsar list is to develop and maintain an international network of wetlands which are important for the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life through the maintenance of their ecosystem components, processes and benefits.
Wetlands 
  • Natural wetlands are permanently or seasonally saturated in water and create habitats for aquatic plants.
  • They retain large volumes of water and their slow release makes them important for combating extreme weather conditions like floods and droughts.
  • Termed 'kidneys of landscape', wetlands contribute to water purification, water regulation, biodiversity, aesthetics and recreation, according to the United Nations.
  • India has maximum wetlands in South Asia - 7.7 lakh - covering the country’s 4.6 per cent geographical area, according to a report of NGO Wetland International.
Source- Hindustan Times 

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