RU-49-01-0054-080222/BACKGROUNDER
World Wetlands Day
With 75 Ramsar sites India has largest network in South Asia
(Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change)
February 08, 2022
(Updated on August 26, 2022)
“India having the largest network of Ramsar Sites in South Asia manifests the commitment of
our citizens to protect flora and fauna and live in harmony with nature.”
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Importance of Wetlands – Global Context
Wetlands are disappearing three times faster
than forests and are Earth’s most threatened
ecosystem. Nearly 90 per cent of the world’s
wetlands have been degraded since the
1700s.Since 1970,that is in 50 years — 35 per
cent of the world’s wetlands have been lost.
Human activities that lead to loss of wetlands
include drainage and infilling for agriculture
and construction, pollution, overfishing and
overexploitation of resources, invasive species
and climate change.
This vicious cycle of wetland loss, threatened
livelihoods, and deepening poverty is the
result of mistakenly seeing wetlands as
wastelands rather than lifegiving sources of
jobs, incomes, and essential ecosystem
services. A key challenge is to change
mindsets to encourage governments and
communities to value and prioritize wetlands.
Wetlands are critically important ecosystems that contribute to biodiversity, climate
mitigation and adaptation, freshwater availability, world economies and more. It is urgent
that we raise national and global awareness about wetlands in order to reverse their rapid loss
and encourage actions to conserve and restore them. World Wetlands Day is the ideal time to
increase people’s understanding of these critically important ecosystems.
World Wetlands Day - Background
World Wetlands Day is celebrated each year on February 02 to raise awareness about
wetlands. This day also marks the anniversary of the Convention on Wetlands, which was
adopted as an international treaty. This intergovernmental treaty, called the Convention on
Wetlands, was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975.
It provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
Since then, almost 90 per cent of UN member states, from all the world’s geographic regions,
have acceded to become “Contracting Parties.”
Through the designation of protected areas, the implementation of effective policies and the
sharing of knowledge, the Convention enables countries to take measures to protect their
wetlands and to use them wisely. It has been adopted by 172 countries. Each country joining
the Convention must designate at least one wetland to be included in the list of Wetlands of
International Importance (Ramsar sites).
The celebration of World Wetlands Day in 2022 was especially significant — as on
August 30, 2021 the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 75/317 that established
February 02 as World Wetlands Day. Besides, it was also an occasion to commemorate the
signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1971.
“Wetlands Action for People and Nature” was the theme for 2022 highlighting the
importance of actions to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands for human
and planetary health.
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
provides the framework for the
conservation and wise use of all wetlands
through local and national actions and
international cooperation, as a
contribution towards achieving
sustainable development throughout the
world.
The Convention Strategic Plan 2016-
2024 includes a series of actions that are
directly related to sustainable
development including water, livelihoods,
biodiversity, disaster risk reduction,
resilience and carbon sinks. Parties have
also adopted a specific framework on
water including river basin management,
water allocation and ground water. The
Secretariat is engaged in the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), as co-custodian with UNEP of indicator SDG 6.6.1 and Goals
14 and 15. It participates actively at the meetings of the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on
Sustainable Development Goals (IAEG-SDGs).
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.”
There are currently over 2,400 Ramsar Sites around the world. They cover over 2.5 million
square kilometres, an area larger than Mexico. The network of Ramsar Sites includes coastal
and inland wetlands of all types. The Convention on Wetlands works to reverse wetland loss
and degradation worldwide.
Wetlands in India – an introduction
Wetlands have a deep connection with
Indian culture and traditions. Loktak
Lake in Manipur is revered as “Ima”
(Mother) by locals, whereas Sikkim’s
Khecheopalri Lake is popular as the
“wish fulfilling lake”. The north Indian
festival of Chhath is one of the most
unique expressions of the association of
people, culture, water and wetlands. The
Dal Lake in Kashmir, Khajjiar Lake in
Himachal Pradesh, Nainital Lake in
Uttarakhand and Kodaikanal in Tamil
Nadu are popular tourism destinations.
Wetlands find a mention even in
Chankaya’s Arthashastra, where it is
referred to as “anupa,” or incomparable
lands, and considered sacred.1
Wetlands receive protection from several central rules and regulations. Provisions of the
Indian Forest Act, 1927, the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and the Indian Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972, define the regulatory framework for wetlands located within forests
and designated protected areas. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi making sustainability a
key aspect of development, there has been an overall improvement in how India cares for its
wetlands. As a result, the country is now a land of 75 Ramsar Sites. This is the largest
network of Ramsar Sites for any country in South Asia. A Ramsar Site is a wetland site
designated to be of international importance.
Millions of migratory birds flock to India, and wetlands are critical to this annual
phenomenon. Ecologically dependent on wetlands, migratory waterbirds connect continents,
hemispheres, cultures, and societies through their seasonal movements. Migration is a period
of great vulnerability, when birds experience the highest mortality rates. The “stopover” sites
provide migratory birds rest, protection from predators and inclement weather before moving
on to the next leg of their journey. A diversity of wetland communities offers essential
stopovers for birds. The Central Asian Flyway (CAF) is one of the nine global waterbird
flyways; nearly 71 per cent of the migratory waterbirds of the CAF use India as a stopover
1
Why India values wetland conservation by Union Minister of MOEFCC, Hindustan Times, dated February 05,
2022
site. Sustaining the health of India’s wetlands is thus crucial for maintaining the waterbird
populations within the flyway.
While wetlands are globally under threat for many reasons, including water drainage,
pollution, unsustainable use, invasive species, deforestation, and soil erosion, India is proudly
reversing the global trend of shrinking wetlands.
The Ramsar convention entered into force in India on 1 February 1982. The number of
Ramsar sites (Wetlands of International Importance) in India have increased to 75covering an
area of 13,26,677 hectares in the country. India has the largest number of Ramsar sites in
South Asia.
During 2004-14, seven wetlands in India were identified as Ramsar Sites - two in
Himachal Pradesh, two in Jammu & Kashmir, one in Tripura, one in Uttar Pradesh and one in
Gujarat. From the year 2014 till August 2022, 49 wetlands are identified as Ramsar Sites
in India.
On August 13, 2022 India added 11 wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites to make total 75
Ramsar sites in the country in the 75th year of Independence. The 11 new sites include: Four
(4) sites in Tamil Nadu, Three (3) in Odisha, Two (2) in Jammu & Kashmir and One (1) each
in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Earlier on August 3, 2022, India added 10 wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites. The 10 new
sites include: Six (6) sites in Tamil Nadu and One (1) each in Goa, Karnataka, Madhya
Pradesh and Odisha.
Year wise designation of 75 Ramsar sites
19
14
13
11
6
5
4
2
1
1981 1990 2002 2005 2012 2019 2020 2021 2022
Source
State wise list of Wetlands identified as Ramsar Sites in India (75)
S.No States No of Ramsar Name of Ramsar Site
Sites
1 Andhra Pradesh 1 Kolleru Lake
2 Assam 1 DeeporBeel
3 Bihar 1 Kabartal Wetland
4 Goa 1 Nanda Lake
Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary
Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary
5 Gujarat 4
Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary
Wadhvana Wetland
Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary
6 Haryana 2
Sultanpur National Park
Chandertal Wetland
7 Himachal Pradesh 3 Pong Dam Lake
Renuka Wetland
Wular Lake
Hokera Wetland
Jammu & Surinsar-Mansar Lakes
8 6 Tsomoriri Lake
Kashmir
Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve
Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve
9 Karnataka 1 Ranganathituu BS
Asthamudi Wetland
10 Kerala 3 Sasthamkotta Lake
VembanadKol Wetland
11 Ladakh 1 Tso Kar Wetland Complex
Bhoj Wetlands
Sakhya Sagar
12 Madhya Pradesh 4
Sirpur wetland
Yashwant Sagar
Lonar Lake
13 Maharashtra 3 NandurMadhameshwar
Thane Creek
14 Manipur 1 Loktak Lake
15 Mizoram 1 Pala wetland
Bhitarkanika Mangroves
Chilka Lake
16 Orissa 6 Satkosia Gorge
Tampara Lake
Hirakud Reservoir
Ansupa Lake
Beas Conservation Reserve
Harike Lake
Kanjli Lake
17 Punjab 6
Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve
Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary
Ropar Lake
Keoladeo Ghana NP
18 Rajasthan 2
Sambhar Lake
Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary
Karikili Bird Sanctuary
Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest
Pichavaram Mangrove
Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary
Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve
19 Tamil Nadu 14 Vembannur Wetland Complex
Vellode Bird Sanctuary
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary
Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary
SuchindramTheroor Wetland Complex
Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary
Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary
20 Tripura 1 Rudrasagar Lake
Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary
Haiderpur Wetland
Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary
Parvati Agra Bird Sanctuary
Saman Bird Sanctuary
21 Uttar Pradesh 10 Samaspur Bird Sanctuary
Sandi Bird Sanctuary
SarsaiNawarJheel
Sur Sarovar
Upper Ganga River
(Brijghat to Narora Stretch)
22 Uttarakhand 1 Asan Conservation Reserve
East Kolkata Wetlands
23 West Bengal 2
Sunderbans Wetland
Wetlands of India Portal - knowledge hub for use of wetlands managers and stakeholders
On October 2, 2021, MoEFCC launched a web portal - ‘Wetlands of India’ giving
details on wetlands of the country, which was launched by the Minister of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav. The portal is a single point access to all
information relating to wetlands.
The portal also hosts capacity building material, data repository, videos and information for
students. Importantly, a dashboard for each State and UT has been developed to access the
portal and populate it with information of wetlands in their administration.
Recent Developments
1. As on August 13, 2022, India has 75 Ramsar Wetlands, making India the country with the
highest number of Wetlands in South Asia.
2. National Wetland Decadal Change Atlas prepared by the Space Applications Centre
(SAC), Ahmedabad highlights changes which have happened in Wetlands across the country
in the past decade.
3. On August 14, 2021, four wetlands from India got recognition from the Ramsar Secretariat
as Ramsar sites.
• Haryana got two Ramsar site, Gujarat got three more after Nalsarovar which was
declared in 2012.
• Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary from Gujarat lies on the Central Asian Flyway and
more than 320 bird species can be found here. The wetland supports more than 30
threatened waterbird species, such as the critically endangered White-rumped Vulture
and Sociable Lapwing, and the vulnerable Sarus Crane, Common Pochard and Lesser
White-fronted Goose.
• Wadhvana Wetland from Gujarat is internationally important for its birdlife as it
provides wintering ground
to migratory waterbirds,
including over 80 species
that migrate on the Central
Asian Flyway. These
include some threatened or
near-threatened species
such as the endangered
Pallas’s fish-Eagle, the
vulnerable Common
Pochard, and the near-
threatened Dalmatian
Pelican, Grey-headed
Fish-eagle and
Ferruginous Duck.
4. On World Wetland Day 2021, MoEFCC announced the establishment of a Centre for
Wetland Conservation and Management (CWCM), as a part of the National Centre for
Sustainable Coastal Management(NCSCM), Chennai, an institution under the Ministry.
• Speaking at the
launch, the Union Minister of State
for Environment highlighted the
importance of wetlands in providing
various ecosystem services. “The
dedicated Centre which is launched
today would address specific research
needs and knowledge gaps and will
aid in the application of integrated
approaches for conservation,
management and wise use of the
wetlands.”
5. In 2020, MoEFCC took up
“wetlands rejuvenation” as a
transformative idea. The programme
is structured around a four-pronged
approach: developing baseline
information, rapid assessment of
wetlands’ condition using a set of parameters in the form of wetland health cards, enabling
stakeholder platforms in the form of wetland Mitra (friend) and management planning. The
programme has since been upscaled to cover over 500 wetlands.
6. On World Wetland Day 2021, Ministry of Jal Shakti highlighted that Namami Gange is the
first of its kind programme where Wetland Conservation is integrated with Basin
Management Plan.
• Innovative work is done by the
National Mission for Clean Ganga
(NMCG) for wetland conservation linked
to River Rejuvenation, which would help
the entire country as a model framework.
• A massive scientific and
community-based programme to develop
Health card and management of 10
wetlands in each of the 50 plus Ganga
districts was also launched.
7. In December 2020, India added Tso Kar
Wetland Complex in Ladakh as its 42nd
Ramsar site, which is a second one in the
Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh.
• The Tso Kar Basin is a high-altitude wetland complex, consisting of two principal
waterbodies, StartsapukTso, a freshwater lake of about 438 hectares to the south, and
Tso Kar itself, a hypersaline lake of 1800 hectares to the north, situated in the
Changthang region of Ladakh, India. It is called Tso Kar, meaning white lake,
because of the white salt efflorescence found on the margins due to the evaporation of
highly saline water.
• The Tso Kar Basin is an A1 Category Important Bird Area (IBA) as per Bird Life
International and a key staging site in the Central Asian Flyway. The site is also one
of the most important breeding areas of the Black-necked Crane (Grusnigricollis) in
India. This IBA is also the major breeding area for Great Crested Grebe
(Podicepscristatus), Bar-headed Geese (Anserindicus), Ruddy Shelduck
(Tadornaferruginea), Brown-headed Gull (Larusbrunnicephalus), Lesser Sand-Plover
(Charadriusmongolus) and many other species.
8. As on January 28, 2020, 10 more wetlands from India got the Ramsar site tag,
Maharashtra got its first, Punjab added 3 and UP 6 to its list2.
• In a major recognition towards Government of India’s effort towards conservation,
restoration and rejuvenation of its wetlands, Ramsar declared 10 more wetland sites from
India as sites of international importance.
9. For conservation and
management of identified
wetlands including Ramsar sites
in the country, the Centrally
Sponsored Scheme of National
Wetlands Conservation
Programme (NWCP) was
implemented till the year 2012-
13. To have better synergy and
to avoid overlap, the NWCP has
been merged in February, 2013
with another scheme called
National Lake Conservation
Plan (NLCP) into a new
integrated scheme of ‘National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems’ (NPCA) for
holistic conservation of lakes and wetlands.
10. India’s National Wildlife Action Plan (2017-2031) identifies conservation of inland
aquatic ecosystems as one of the 17 priority areas, and envisages the development of a
national wetlands mission and a national wetlands biodiversity register as critical
interventions. In addition, integration of wetlands in river basin management has been
identified as a strategy for the management of river systems.
2
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1600857
11. In 2017, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
notified the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules under the Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 (EP Act). As per the provisions of these rules, state wetlands
authorities have been constituted as the main policy and regulatory bodies within states.
12. Further, under the EP Act, coastal wetlands are protected under the Coastal Regulation
Zone (CRZ) Notification (2018) and its amendments and the Island Protection Zone (IPZ)
Notification 2011.
Conclusion
Wetlands are our natural buffers against increasing risk of floods, droughts and tropical
cyclones. Wetlands can act as sponges, storing peak rainfall and releasing water gradually
during lean season. The floods in Kashmir Valley in September, 2014 and Chennai city in
December, 2015 are reminders of the ways wetland destruction can make lives vulnerable.
Evidences from Super Cyclone Kalinga of 1999, Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 and Phailin
of 2013 underline the role coastal wetlands as estuaries and mangroves can play in buffering
communities from impacts of these cyclones and wave surges.
Integration of wetlands within disaster risk reduction planning can be achieved by a series of
collaborative actions between wetlands managers and those responsible for implementation
of disaster risk reduction actions. Assessment of wetland ecosystem health should be made a
part of District level disaster planning processes. Wetland management plans should have an
in-built component of disaster risk reduction to address the likely impacts of disasters on
ecosystem health. Wetlands conservation and restoration should be included within the suite
of actions proposed for reducing disaster risk, particularly those related to water, food and
climate security. States should constitute Wetland Authorities as nodal agencies for integrated
policy, planning and regulation of wetlands. Representation of Disaster Management
Authorities should be ensured within the State Wetland Authorities. Mass awareness
campaigns should be undertaken to educate stakeholders from all walks of society,
particularly local communities on the value of wetland ecosystems.
The Government of India accords high significance to wetlands conservation and seeks to
mainstream its full range of values at all levels of developmental planning and decision-
making.
Video links
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHDbE5HACvg
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P9OoWuTBdY
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FConE2ZgDHQ
Twitter links
• https://twitter.com/byadavbjp/status/1426232561341108225
• https://twitter.com/byadavbjp/status/1558291121893441536?s=20&t=_BiBo-X512iEvEPNqY8toA
• https://twitter.com/moefcc/status/1551882643167330309?s=20&t=7LNwylqjEFXiZGWNxBaSvg
• https://twitter.com/byadavbjp/status/1551812254315585537?s=20&t=7LNwylqjEFXiZGWNxBaSvg
• https://twitter.com/PrakashJavdekar/status/1327928897665519616
• https://twitter.com/byadavbjp/status/1468954855846789124
• https://twitter.com/PrakashJavdekar/status/1356430594431803392
References
• https://nmcg.nic.in/writereaddata/fileupload/40_Urban%20Wetlandwater%20bodiesmanagement%20g
uidelines.pdf
• Why India values wetland conservation by Union Minister of MOEFCC, Hindustan Times, dated
February 05, 2022
• https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/Faunal_Diversity_of_Ramsar_Wetlands_of_India_E_
verion_02.02.2021.pdf
• https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-wetlands-day
• https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/what-wetland
• https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/flipbooks/ramsar_gwo_english_web.pdf
• https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-wetlands-day
• http://www.wiienvis.nic.in/Database/ramsar_wetland_sites_8224.aspx
• PIB Press Release on 75 Ramsar Sites in 75th Year of Independence dated August 13, 2022.
• PIB Press Release on India adds 10 more wetlands designated as Ramsar sites to make total 64 sites
dated August 3, 2022.
• PIB Press Release on India Designates 5 New Ramsar Sites dated July 26, 2022.
• PIB Press Release on NamamiGange first program in India to link Wetland Conservation to Basin
Management Plan dated February 02, 2021.
• PIB Press Release on Ladakh’s Tso Kar Wetland Complex now a Wetland of International Importance
dated December 24, 2020.
• PIB Press Release on ‘Wetlands of India’ Portal, a single point access to all information relating to
wetlands dated October 02, 2021.
• PIB Press Release on On World Wetlands Day India gets its first Centre for Wetland Conservation and
Management dated February 02, 2021.
• PIB Press Release on 10 more wetlands from India get the Ramsar site tag dated January 28, 2020.
AG/HP/RC/RN/KR/JA
