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Ecology & Environment
Mahesh

14/08/22 05:05 AM IST

75 Ramsar Sites in 75th Year of Independence

In News 
  • Government has added 11 more wetlands to the Ramsar list of wetlands.
Ramsar Sites 
  • Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change said, the 11 new sites include, four in Tamil Nadu, three in Odisha, two in Jammu and Kashmir and one each in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
  • Designation of these sites would help in conservation and management of wetlands and wise use of their resources.  
Ramsar Convention 
  • India is one of the Contracting Parties to Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971. India signed it on 1st February 1982.
  • During 1982 to 2013, a total of 26 sites were added to the list of Ramsar sites, however, during 2014 to 2022, the country has added 49 new wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites. 
  • During this year itself, a total of 28 sites have been declared as Ramsar sites. Based on the date of designation mentioned on Ramsar Certificate, the number is 19 for 2022 and 14 for 2021.
  • Tamil Nadu has maximum number of Ramsar sites which is 14, followed by Uttar Pradesh which has 10 numbers of Ramsar sites.
Tampara Lake (Odisha)
  • Tampara Lake is among the most prominent freshwater lakes in the State of Odisha.
  • It is called ‘Tampara’ as the depression on the ground gradually filled with rainwater from catchment flow and was called “Tamp” by the British and subsequently termed “Tampra” by the locals.
  • The wetland is an important habitat for vulnerable species such as Cyprinus carpio, common pochard (Aythya ferina), and river tern (Sterna aurantia).
  • Tampara Lake is among the most prominent freshwater lakes in the State of Odisha.
  • It is called ‘Tampara’ as the depression on the ground gradually filled with rainwater from catchment flow and was called “Tamp” by the British and subsequently termed “Tampra” by the locals.
  • The wetland is an important habitat for vulnerable species such as Cyprinus carpio, common pochard (Aythya ferina), and river tern (Sterna aurantia).
Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary ( Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu)
  • The wetland is a protected area since 1989 and declared a Bird Sanctuary.
  • It is an ideal habitat for winter migratory birds.
Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex (Kanya Kumari, Tamil Nadu)

  • It is part of the Suchindrum-Theroor Manakudi Conservation Reserve.
  • It is declared an Important Bird Area and lies at the southern tip of the Central Asian flyway of migratory birds.
  • This is a man-made, inland Tank and is perennial.
  • Copper plate inscriptions from the 9th century mention Pasumkulam, Venchikulam, Nedumarthukulam, Perumkulam, Elemchikulam and Konadunkulam.
Source- PIB 

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