Ramsar tag for 75 Indian wetlands on 75th year of Independence

Eleven more Indian wetlands received the Ramsar tag on Saturday taking the tally of such protected wetlands to 75 – the highest in the world.

The new sites include Hirakud reservoir in Odisha, Yashwant Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, Suchindram Theroor wetland complex in Tamil Nadu and Thane creek which is a flamingo sanctuary.

Out of 11 new sites, four are in Tamil Nadu, three in Odisha, two in Jammu & Kashmir and one each in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Designation of these sites would help in the conservation and management of wetlands and the wise use of their resources.

The new Indian wetlands of international importance also include Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary, Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary and Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu; Tampara Lake and Ansupa Lake in Odisha and Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve and Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The designation of these sites would help in conservation and management of wetlands and wise use of their resources," the union environment ministry said in a statement.

In 1981, the first two Indian wetlands to receive the Ramsar tag were Chilka lake in Odisha and Keoladeo Ghana national park in Rajasthan.

Twenty-six sites were added to the Ramsar list from 1982 to 2013. Since 2014, as many as 49 sites have bagged the tag. Twenty-eight sites have been declared wetlands of international importance this year itself.