Tampara lake, Hirakud Reservoir and Ansupa lake of Odisha designated as Ramsar Sites

Bhubaneswar: Three more wetlands from Odisha has been recognized as Ramsar Site recognition as wetlands of international importance.

The Tampara Lake in Ganjam district, Hirakud Reservoir in Sambalpur district, and Ansupa Lake in Cuttack district are the three new wetlands getting the status of Ramsar sites.

Yashwant Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Suchindrum Theroor Wetland in Tamil Nadu, Vaduvur bird sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu,  Thane Creek in Maharahstra, Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve in Jammu & Kashmir, Shallabug Wetland Conservation Reserve in Jammu & Kashmir are the eight other sites included as Ramsar Sites.

The Union environment ministry on Saturday announced 11 wetland Ramsar sites which included the names of Tampara lake, Hirakud reservoir and Ansupa lake. On August 3 the ministry had added 10 Ramsar Sites which included Satkosia as one of the sites.

Union Cabinet Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, informed through a tweet today.

Odisha now has six Ramsar sites. Bhitarkanika Mangroves and Chilika Lake are the other Ramsar Sites in Odisha.

With the inclusion of 11 new wetlands, the tally of Ramsar sites in the country rose to 75. Tamil Nadu has a maximum number of Ramsar sites (14), followed by UP(10).

Ramsar designation would help in conservation and management of these wetlands and wise use of their resources.