75 Ramsar sites in India

75 Ramsar Sites in India in the 75th Year of Independence (2022) India adds 11 new wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites in India.

India adds 11 more wetland sites to its list of Ramsar sites in the nation’s 75th year of independence, raising the total to 75 sites covering a total area of 13,26,677 hectares.
28 sites have been named Ramsar sites alone this year (2022). According to the Ramsar Certificate’s designation date, this year (2022) has a designation date of 19, while the previous year has a designation date of 14. (2021).
Tamil Nadu, with 14 sites, and Uttar Pradesh, with 10, are the two states in India with the most Ramsar sites as of August 2022.
This year, Goa, Karnataka, and Mizoram each received their first Ramsar site. The addition of new sites brings India’s total number of Ramsar sites to 75, the most of any South Asian country.

The 11 new Ramsar Sites in India include

• Four sites in Tamil Nadu, 
• Three in Odisha, 
• Two in Jammu & Kashmir 
• One in Madhya Pradesh
• One in Maharashtra.

The Ramsar Convention’s designation of sites as Ramsar Sites aims to halt the global loss of wetlands and preserve them through smart use and management. The achievement of this goal necessitates global collaboration, policy development, capacity building, and technology transfer. The Ramsar wetlands or Wetlands International are chosen for their ecological, botanical, zoological, limnological, or hydrological significance.

An international agreement known as the Ramsar Convention was created in 1971. The goal of the pact is to halt the decline of global wetlands and preserve them via sensible use and management. Wetlands are crucial because they offer numerous ecological functions such as water filtration and purification, flood protection, and carbon storage. Additionally, they support a diverse range of plant and animal life.

One of the most efficient strategies to stem the global loss of wetlands and conserve them via prudent use and management is to designate areas as Ramsar Sites under the Ramsar Convention. Flood control, water purification, erosion management, climate adjustment, and habitat for plants and animals are just a few of the advantages that wetlands offer to both humans and the environment. Unfortunately, due to a number of issues, such as industrialization, agriculture, pollution, and climate change, wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate.

To stem the global loss of wetlands and preserve them through smart use and management, Ramsar Sites are designated under the Ramsar Convention.

List of Ramsar sites State-wise – Ramsar sites in India

In Aug 2022, 21 new Indian sites were added to the List of Ramsar sites, or wetlands of international importance, bringing the number of such Ramsar Sites in India to 75.
These Include:

On 26 July 2022, five new Indian sites were added to the List of Ramsar sites or wetlands of international importance. These Include

2 February 2022 – The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands designated 2 new sites.

The theme of World Wetlands Day (2 February 2023) is “It’s Time for Wetlands Restoration,” emphasizing the need for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands for human and environmental health.

List of all Ramsar sites in India

What is Ramsar Convention

An intergovernmental agreement known as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands establishes a framework for international cooperation and state action for the member countries’ conservation and smart use of wetlands and their resources. It was also known as the Convention on Wetlands when it was ratified in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971.
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an international agreement that was established in 1971 and was named after the Iranian city of Ramsar. The treaty sets a framework for international and national action to preserve and sustainably use wetland resources. It also defines wetlands.
The Ramsar Sites network truly spans the globe and covers all varieties of inland and coastal wetlands on every continent.

The Cobourg Peninsula in Australia was chosen as the first Ramsar site in the world in 1974. Rio Negro in Brazil (120,000 square kilometres), Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (nearly 60,000 square kilometres), and Queen Maud Gulf in Canada are the three largest Ramsar sites in the world.
United Kingdom (175 sites) and Mexico (142 sites) are the nations with the most Ramsar sites. With 148,000 square kilometres protected by the Ramsar Convention, Bolivia is the country with the biggest protected territory; over 100,000 square kilometres have also been designated by Canada, Chad, Congo, and the Russian Federation.

Purpose to declare Ramsar Site

The purpose to declare Ramsar Sites under Ramsar Convention is to stop the worldwide loss of wetlands and to conserve them, through wise use and management. This aim requires international cooperation, policy-making, capacity building and technology transfer. Wetlands for the list are selected because of their ecological, botanical, zoological, limnological or hydrological importance.

How Ramsar Convention Conserves these sites

The Ramsar treaty promotes the designation of wetland sites with representative, uncommon, or unique wetlands, as well as wetlands that are crucial for preserving biological diversity.
A location is classified as a Ramsar site after it is included on the Convention’s List of Wetlands of International Importance.
When a wetland is designated as a Ramsar site, the hosting nation commits to creating and directing a management framework for the wetland’s preservation and judicious usage.

What is under Ramsar Convention

Wise use under the Ramsar Convention is defined as Maintaining the ecological character of a wetland.

Montreux Record

The main objectives of the Ramsar Convention are to: 

• – recognise the ecological and economic importance of wetlands; 
• – identify wetland habitats that are in need of special protection; 
• – promote sustainable use of wetlands resources; and 
• – encourage cooperation among countries in conserving their shared wetlands. 

• One important achievement of the Ramsar Convention has been the compilation of a “Montreux Record” – a detailed database of all wetland sites that have been designated as being of international importance. This information helps ensure that these sites receive appropriate conservation attention.
• The Montreux Record is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution, or other human interference. It is maintained as part of the Ramsar List.
• The Montreux Record was created by Recommendation of the Conference of the Contracting Parties in 1990.

In conclusion, there are several reasons why the Ramsar sites in India are very significant. Numerous plant and animal species depend on them for survival. They also assist in regulating local water cycles and bolster local economies and communities. We strongly urge everyone to learn more about them and support their protection in order to conserve these priceless resources.

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