India Expands Ramsar Sites from 75 to 80 on World Wetlands Day

New Delhi: On the eve of World Wetlands Day 2024, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Labour and Employment, Shri Bhupender Yadav, announced India’s increased tally of Ramsar sites, designating five additional wetlands as Wetlands of International Importance, bringing the total to 80 from the existing 75. Shri Yadav received certificates for the newly designated sites from Dr. Musonda Mumba, the Secretary-General of the Ramsar Convention.

Expressing the paradigm shift in India’s approach to wetlands, Shri Yadav attributed the success to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s emphasis on environmental protection and conservation, evident in the Amrit Dharohar initiative. He congratulated the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for their wetlands making it to the list of Ramsar Sites.

The newly designated sites include Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, Aghanashini Estuary, and Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve in Karnataka, and Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest in Tamil Nadu. With these additions, the total area covered under Ramsar sites has reached 1.33 million hectares.

India, a contracting party to the Ramsar Convention since 1982, celebrated World Wetlands Day to commemorate the adoption of the international agreement on wetlands on February 2, 1971. The country achieved a significant milestone in August 2022, reaching 75 Ramsar sites during the 75th Year of Independence. The Ramsar site count has increased from 26 to 80 in the last ten years, with 38 added in the last three years alone.

The theme for World Wetlands Day 2024 is ‘Wetlands and Human Wellbeing,’ emphasizing the critical role wetlands play in flood protection, clean water, biodiversity, and recreational opportunities essential for human health and prosperity. The national event in collaboration with the Government of Madhya Pradesh is hosted at the Ramsar site, Sirpur Lake, Indore. Dr. Musonda Mumba, Secretary-General of the Ramsar Convention, is attending the event, joined by officials from the Government of India, Government of Madhya Pradesh, State/UT Wetland Authority representatives, and site managers of Ramsar sites.