Yojana Magazine April 2024 - 3 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


45 April 2024
he convention on Wetlands of 
international importance holds 
the unique distinction of being 
the first modern treaty between 
nations aimed at conserving natural resources. 
the signing of the convention on Wetlands 
took place in 1971 at the small iranian town of 
r amsar. since then, the c onvention on Wetlands 
has been known as the r amsar convention. t he 
r amsar convention’s broad aims are to halt the 
worldwide loss of wetlands and to conserve, 
through wise use and management, those that 
remain. this requires international cooperation, 
policy making, capacity building and technology 
transfer.
under the r amsar convention, a wide variety 
of natural and human-made habitat types ranging 
from rivers to coral reefs can be  classified as 
wetlands. Wetlands include swamps, marshes, 
billabongs, lakes, salt marshes, mudflats, 
mangroves, coral reefs, fens, peat bogs, or bodies 
of water - whether natural or artificial, permanent 
or temporary. Water within these areas can be 
static or flowing; fresh, brackish or saline; and can 
include inland rivers and coastal or marine water 
to a depth of six metres at low tide. t here are even 
underground wetlands.the ramsar convention 
encourages the designation of sites containing 
representative, rare or unique wetlands, or 
wetlands that are important for conserving 
biological diversity. once designated, these sites 
are added to the convention’s List of Wetlands of 
international importance and become known as 
r amsar sites. in designating a wetland as a r amsar 
site, countries agree to establish and oversee a 
management framework aimed at conserving the 
T
THe ramsar coNVe NTioN  
oN WeTLaNDs
Page 2


45 April 2024
he convention on Wetlands of 
international importance holds 
the unique distinction of being 
the first modern treaty between 
nations aimed at conserving natural resources. 
the signing of the convention on Wetlands 
took place in 1971 at the small iranian town of 
r amsar. since then, the c onvention on Wetlands 
has been known as the r amsar convention. t he 
r amsar convention’s broad aims are to halt the 
worldwide loss of wetlands and to conserve, 
through wise use and management, those that 
remain. this requires international cooperation, 
policy making, capacity building and technology 
transfer.
under the r amsar convention, a wide variety 
of natural and human-made habitat types ranging 
from rivers to coral reefs can be  classified as 
wetlands. Wetlands include swamps, marshes, 
billabongs, lakes, salt marshes, mudflats, 
mangroves, coral reefs, fens, peat bogs, or bodies 
of water - whether natural or artificial, permanent 
or temporary. Water within these areas can be 
static or flowing; fresh, brackish or saline; and can 
include inland rivers and coastal or marine water 
to a depth of six metres at low tide. t here are even 
underground wetlands.the ramsar convention 
encourages the designation of sites containing 
representative, rare or unique wetlands, or 
wetlands that are important for conserving 
biological diversity. once designated, these sites 
are added to the convention’s List of Wetlands of 
international importance and become known as 
r amsar sites. in designating a wetland as a r amsar 
site, countries agree to establish and oversee a 
management framework aimed at conserving the 
T
THe ramsar coNVe NTioN  
oN WeTLaNDs
46 April 2024
wetland and ensuring its wise use. Wise use under 
the convention is broadly defined as maintaining 
the ecological character of a wetland. 
under the r amsar criteria, wetlands should 
be selected for the ramsar List on account of 
their international significance in terms of the 
biodiversity and uniqueness of their ecology, 
botany, zoology, limnology or hydrology. in 
addition, the criteria indicate that in the first 
instance, wetlands of international importance to 
waterbirds at any season should be included on 
the r amsar List.
Criterion 1: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it contains a 
representative, rare, or unique example of a natural 
or near-natural wetland type found within the 
appropriate biogeographic region.
Criterion 2: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports vulnerable, 
endangered, or critically endangered species or 
threatened ecological communities.
Criterion 3: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports populations 
of plant and/or animal species important for 
maintaining the biological diversity of a particular 
biogeographic region.
Criterion 4: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports plant and/or 
animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, 
or provides refuge during adverse conditions.
Criterion 5: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it regularly supports 
20,000 or more waterbirds.
Criterion 6: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it regularly supports 1% 
of the individuals in a population of one species or 
subspecies of waterbird.
Criterion 7: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports a significant 
proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species 
or families, life-history stages, species interactions 
and/or populations that are representative of 
wetland benefits and/or values and thereby 
contributes to global biological diversity.
Criterion 8: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it is an important source 
of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or 
migration path on which fish stocks, either within 
the wetland or elsewhere, depend.
Criterion 9: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it regularly supports 
1% of the individuals in a population of one species 
or subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian 
animal species.
r amsar Wetlands sites in i ndia (As in January 2024)
Jammu and Kashmir
•	 h okera Wetland: A natural perennial wetland 
contiguous to the Jhelum basin, it is the only 
site with remaining reedbeds of Kashmir 
and pathway of 68 waterfowl species. it is an 
important source of food, spawning ground 
and nursery for fishes, besides offering feeding 
and breeding ground to a variety of water 
birds.  
•	 hygam Wetland Conservation reserve: t he 
wetland is located within the Jhelum river basin 
and plays a significant role in flood control, 
aquifer recharge, and regulating water flow of 
the Wular Lake. 
•	 shallbugh Wetland Conservation reserve: i t 
lies west of Anchar Lake in the sindh river delta. 
t his shallow wetland is primarily fed by rainfall, 
snowmelt from the Kashmir Himalayas, and 
stream water flowing from the sindh river and 
Anchar Lake. 
•	 o ther sites include surinsar-Mansar Lakes and 
Wular Lake.
l adakh
•	 tso Kar Wetland Complex: this high-altitude 
wetland complex is found at more than 4,500 
metres above sea level in the changthang 
region of Ladakh. the complex includes two 
connected lakes, the freshwater startsapuk tso 
and the larger hypersaline t so Kar; it presents a 
notable example of two such lakes existing in 
close proximity. 
•	 tsomoriri lake: A freshwater to brackish 
lake lying at 4,595m above sea level, with wet 
meadows and borax-laden wetlands along the 
shores. the site is said to represent the only 
breeding ground outside of china for one of 
the most endangered cranes, the Black-necked 
crane and the only breeding ground for Bar-
headed geese in india. 
Page 3


45 April 2024
he convention on Wetlands of 
international importance holds 
the unique distinction of being 
the first modern treaty between 
nations aimed at conserving natural resources. 
the signing of the convention on Wetlands 
took place in 1971 at the small iranian town of 
r amsar. since then, the c onvention on Wetlands 
has been known as the r amsar convention. t he 
r amsar convention’s broad aims are to halt the 
worldwide loss of wetlands and to conserve, 
through wise use and management, those that 
remain. this requires international cooperation, 
policy making, capacity building and technology 
transfer.
under the r amsar convention, a wide variety 
of natural and human-made habitat types ranging 
from rivers to coral reefs can be  classified as 
wetlands. Wetlands include swamps, marshes, 
billabongs, lakes, salt marshes, mudflats, 
mangroves, coral reefs, fens, peat bogs, or bodies 
of water - whether natural or artificial, permanent 
or temporary. Water within these areas can be 
static or flowing; fresh, brackish or saline; and can 
include inland rivers and coastal or marine water 
to a depth of six metres at low tide. t here are even 
underground wetlands.the ramsar convention 
encourages the designation of sites containing 
representative, rare or unique wetlands, or 
wetlands that are important for conserving 
biological diversity. once designated, these sites 
are added to the convention’s List of Wetlands of 
international importance and become known as 
r amsar sites. in designating a wetland as a r amsar 
site, countries agree to establish and oversee a 
management framework aimed at conserving the 
T
THe ramsar coNVe NTioN  
oN WeTLaNDs
46 April 2024
wetland and ensuring its wise use. Wise use under 
the convention is broadly defined as maintaining 
the ecological character of a wetland. 
under the r amsar criteria, wetlands should 
be selected for the ramsar List on account of 
their international significance in terms of the 
biodiversity and uniqueness of their ecology, 
botany, zoology, limnology or hydrology. in 
addition, the criteria indicate that in the first 
instance, wetlands of international importance to 
waterbirds at any season should be included on 
the r amsar List.
Criterion 1: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it contains a 
representative, rare, or unique example of a natural 
or near-natural wetland type found within the 
appropriate biogeographic region.
Criterion 2: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports vulnerable, 
endangered, or critically endangered species or 
threatened ecological communities.
Criterion 3: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports populations 
of plant and/or animal species important for 
maintaining the biological diversity of a particular 
biogeographic region.
Criterion 4: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports plant and/or 
animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, 
or provides refuge during adverse conditions.
Criterion 5: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it regularly supports 
20,000 or more waterbirds.
Criterion 6: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it regularly supports 1% 
of the individuals in a population of one species or 
subspecies of waterbird.
Criterion 7: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports a significant 
proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species 
or families, life-history stages, species interactions 
and/or populations that are representative of 
wetland benefits and/or values and thereby 
contributes to global biological diversity.
Criterion 8: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it is an important source 
of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or 
migration path on which fish stocks, either within 
the wetland or elsewhere, depend.
Criterion 9: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it regularly supports 
1% of the individuals in a population of one species 
or subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian 
animal species.
r amsar Wetlands sites in i ndia (As in January 2024)
Jammu and Kashmir
•	 h okera Wetland: A natural perennial wetland 
contiguous to the Jhelum basin, it is the only 
site with remaining reedbeds of Kashmir 
and pathway of 68 waterfowl species. it is an 
important source of food, spawning ground 
and nursery for fishes, besides offering feeding 
and breeding ground to a variety of water 
birds.  
•	 hygam Wetland Conservation reserve: t he 
wetland is located within the Jhelum river basin 
and plays a significant role in flood control, 
aquifer recharge, and regulating water flow of 
the Wular Lake. 
•	 shallbugh Wetland Conservation reserve: i t 
lies west of Anchar Lake in the sindh river delta. 
t his shallow wetland is primarily fed by rainfall, 
snowmelt from the Kashmir Himalayas, and 
stream water flowing from the sindh river and 
Anchar Lake. 
•	 o ther sites include surinsar-Mansar Lakes and 
Wular Lake.
l adakh
•	 tso Kar Wetland Complex: this high-altitude 
wetland complex is found at more than 4,500 
metres above sea level in the changthang 
region of Ladakh. the complex includes two 
connected lakes, the freshwater startsapuk tso 
and the larger hypersaline t so Kar; it presents a 
notable example of two such lakes existing in 
close proximity. 
•	 tsomoriri lake: A freshwater to brackish 
lake lying at 4,595m above sea level, with wet 
meadows and borax-laden wetlands along the 
shores. the site is said to represent the only 
breeding ground outside of china for one of 
the most endangered cranes, the Black-necked 
crane and the only breeding ground for Bar-
headed geese in india. 
47 April 2024
h imachal pradesh
•	 Chandertal Wetland: A high altitude lake on 
the upper chandra valley flowing to the chandra 
r iver of the Western Himalayas near the Kunzam 
pass joining the Himalayan and Pir Panchal 
ranges. it supports cites and iucn r edlisted 
snow Leopard and is a refuge for many. 
•	 pong dam l ake: A water storage reservoir 
created in 1975 on the Beas r iver in the low 
foothills of the Himalaya on the northern edge 
of the indo-gangetic plain. Hydrological values 
include monsoon-season flood prevention, 
both in the surroundings and downstream due 
to water regulation, groundwater recharge, silt 
trapping and prevention of soil erosion.
•	 renuka Wetland: A natural wetland with 
freshwater springs and inland subterranean 
karst formations, fed by a small stream flowing 
from the lower Himalayan out to the giri r iver. 
punjab
•	 Beas Conservation reserve: the Beas 
c onservation r eserve is a 185-kilometre stretch 
of the Beas r iver located primarily in the north-
west of the state of Punjab. t he r iver is dotted 
with islands, sand bars, and braided channels 
creating a complex environment supporting 
substantial biodiversity. 
•	 Keshopur-miani Community reserve: 
the reserve is a mosaic of natural marshes, 
aquaculture ponds and agricultural wetlands 
maintained by the annual rainfall runoff. i t 
is heavily human-influenced, and includes a 
series of managed fishponds and cultivated 
crops such lotus and chestnut. 
•	 nangal Wildlife sanctuary: Located in the 
shiwalik foothills of Punjab is the highly eco-
sensitive nangal Wildlife sanctuary, which 
supports abundant flora and fauna including 
threatened species. it occupies a human-made 
reservoir constructed as part of the Bhakra-
nangal Project in 1961. 
•	 other sites include ropar Lake, Harike Lake, 
and Kanjli Lake.
r ajasthan
•	 Keoladeo Ghana np : A complex of ten artificial, 
seasonal lagoons, varying in size, situated 
in a densely populated region. vegetation is 
a mosaic of scrub and open grassland that 
provides habitat for breeding, wintering and 
staging migratory birds. cattle and water 
buffalo graze on the site. 
•	 sambhar l ake: A large saline lake fed by four 
streams set in a shallow wetland and subject to 
seasonal fluctuations. i t is surrounded by sand 
flats and dry thorn scrub and fed by seasonal 
rivers and streams. the site is important for a 
variety of wintering waterbirds, including large 
numbers of flamingos. 
haryana
•	 Bhindawas Wildlife s anctuary: it is a human-
made freshwater wetland, and is the largest 
wetland in Haryana state. the wetland was 
declared as a protected area in 1986 and was 
designated as an eco-sensitive zone by the 
Ministry of environment, Forests and climate 
change in 2011. 
•	 sultanpur national park: t his shallow lake at 
the core of the sultanpur national Park is fed 
Page 4


45 April 2024
he convention on Wetlands of 
international importance holds 
the unique distinction of being 
the first modern treaty between 
nations aimed at conserving natural resources. 
the signing of the convention on Wetlands 
took place in 1971 at the small iranian town of 
r amsar. since then, the c onvention on Wetlands 
has been known as the r amsar convention. t he 
r amsar convention’s broad aims are to halt the 
worldwide loss of wetlands and to conserve, 
through wise use and management, those that 
remain. this requires international cooperation, 
policy making, capacity building and technology 
transfer.
under the r amsar convention, a wide variety 
of natural and human-made habitat types ranging 
from rivers to coral reefs can be  classified as 
wetlands. Wetlands include swamps, marshes, 
billabongs, lakes, salt marshes, mudflats, 
mangroves, coral reefs, fens, peat bogs, or bodies 
of water - whether natural or artificial, permanent 
or temporary. Water within these areas can be 
static or flowing; fresh, brackish or saline; and can 
include inland rivers and coastal or marine water 
to a depth of six metres at low tide. t here are even 
underground wetlands.the ramsar convention 
encourages the designation of sites containing 
representative, rare or unique wetlands, or 
wetlands that are important for conserving 
biological diversity. once designated, these sites 
are added to the convention’s List of Wetlands of 
international importance and become known as 
r amsar sites. in designating a wetland as a r amsar 
site, countries agree to establish and oversee a 
management framework aimed at conserving the 
T
THe ramsar coNVe NTioN  
oN WeTLaNDs
46 April 2024
wetland and ensuring its wise use. Wise use under 
the convention is broadly defined as maintaining 
the ecological character of a wetland. 
under the r amsar criteria, wetlands should 
be selected for the ramsar List on account of 
their international significance in terms of the 
biodiversity and uniqueness of their ecology, 
botany, zoology, limnology or hydrology. in 
addition, the criteria indicate that in the first 
instance, wetlands of international importance to 
waterbirds at any season should be included on 
the r amsar List.
Criterion 1: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it contains a 
representative, rare, or unique example of a natural 
or near-natural wetland type found within the 
appropriate biogeographic region.
Criterion 2: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports vulnerable, 
endangered, or critically endangered species or 
threatened ecological communities.
Criterion 3: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports populations 
of plant and/or animal species important for 
maintaining the biological diversity of a particular 
biogeographic region.
Criterion 4: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports plant and/or 
animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, 
or provides refuge during adverse conditions.
Criterion 5: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it regularly supports 
20,000 or more waterbirds.
Criterion 6: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it regularly supports 1% 
of the individuals in a population of one species or 
subspecies of waterbird.
Criterion 7: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports a significant 
proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species 
or families, life-history stages, species interactions 
and/or populations that are representative of 
wetland benefits and/or values and thereby 
contributes to global biological diversity.
Criterion 8: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it is an important source 
of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or 
migration path on which fish stocks, either within 
the wetland or elsewhere, depend.
Criterion 9: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it regularly supports 
1% of the individuals in a population of one species 
or subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian 
animal species.
r amsar Wetlands sites in i ndia (As in January 2024)
Jammu and Kashmir
•	 h okera Wetland: A natural perennial wetland 
contiguous to the Jhelum basin, it is the only 
site with remaining reedbeds of Kashmir 
and pathway of 68 waterfowl species. it is an 
important source of food, spawning ground 
and nursery for fishes, besides offering feeding 
and breeding ground to a variety of water 
birds.  
•	 hygam Wetland Conservation reserve: t he 
wetland is located within the Jhelum river basin 
and plays a significant role in flood control, 
aquifer recharge, and regulating water flow of 
the Wular Lake. 
•	 shallbugh Wetland Conservation reserve: i t 
lies west of Anchar Lake in the sindh river delta. 
t his shallow wetland is primarily fed by rainfall, 
snowmelt from the Kashmir Himalayas, and 
stream water flowing from the sindh river and 
Anchar Lake. 
•	 o ther sites include surinsar-Mansar Lakes and 
Wular Lake.
l adakh
•	 tso Kar Wetland Complex: this high-altitude 
wetland complex is found at more than 4,500 
metres above sea level in the changthang 
region of Ladakh. the complex includes two 
connected lakes, the freshwater startsapuk tso 
and the larger hypersaline t so Kar; it presents a 
notable example of two such lakes existing in 
close proximity. 
•	 tsomoriri lake: A freshwater to brackish 
lake lying at 4,595m above sea level, with wet 
meadows and borax-laden wetlands along the 
shores. the site is said to represent the only 
breeding ground outside of china for one of 
the most endangered cranes, the Black-necked 
crane and the only breeding ground for Bar-
headed geese in india. 
47 April 2024
h imachal pradesh
•	 Chandertal Wetland: A high altitude lake on 
the upper chandra valley flowing to the chandra 
r iver of the Western Himalayas near the Kunzam 
pass joining the Himalayan and Pir Panchal 
ranges. it supports cites and iucn r edlisted 
snow Leopard and is a refuge for many. 
•	 pong dam l ake: A water storage reservoir 
created in 1975 on the Beas r iver in the low 
foothills of the Himalaya on the northern edge 
of the indo-gangetic plain. Hydrological values 
include monsoon-season flood prevention, 
both in the surroundings and downstream due 
to water regulation, groundwater recharge, silt 
trapping and prevention of soil erosion.
•	 renuka Wetland: A natural wetland with 
freshwater springs and inland subterranean 
karst formations, fed by a small stream flowing 
from the lower Himalayan out to the giri r iver. 
punjab
•	 Beas Conservation reserve: the Beas 
c onservation r eserve is a 185-kilometre stretch 
of the Beas r iver located primarily in the north-
west of the state of Punjab. t he r iver is dotted 
with islands, sand bars, and braided channels 
creating a complex environment supporting 
substantial biodiversity. 
•	 Keshopur-miani Community reserve: 
the reserve is a mosaic of natural marshes, 
aquaculture ponds and agricultural wetlands 
maintained by the annual rainfall runoff. i t 
is heavily human-influenced, and includes a 
series of managed fishponds and cultivated 
crops such lotus and chestnut. 
•	 nangal Wildlife sanctuary: Located in the 
shiwalik foothills of Punjab is the highly eco-
sensitive nangal Wildlife sanctuary, which 
supports abundant flora and fauna including 
threatened species. it occupies a human-made 
reservoir constructed as part of the Bhakra-
nangal Project in 1961. 
•	 other sites include ropar Lake, Harike Lake, 
and Kanjli Lake.
r ajasthan
•	 Keoladeo Ghana np : A complex of ten artificial, 
seasonal lagoons, varying in size, situated 
in a densely populated region. vegetation is 
a mosaic of scrub and open grassland that 
provides habitat for breeding, wintering and 
staging migratory birds. cattle and water 
buffalo graze on the site. 
•	 sambhar l ake: A large saline lake fed by four 
streams set in a shallow wetland and subject to 
seasonal fluctuations. i t is surrounded by sand 
flats and dry thorn scrub and fed by seasonal 
rivers and streams. the site is important for a 
variety of wintering waterbirds, including large 
numbers of flamingos. 
haryana
•	 Bhindawas Wildlife s anctuary: it is a human-
made freshwater wetland, and is the largest 
wetland in Haryana state. the wetland was 
declared as a protected area in 1986 and was 
designated as an eco-sensitive zone by the 
Ministry of environment, Forests and climate 
change in 2011. 
•	 sultanpur national park: t his shallow lake at 
the core of the sultanpur national Park is fed 
48 April 2024
construction of the Madhya ganga Barrage 
on a floodplain of the river ganga. it is 
located within the boundaries of Hastinapur 
Wildlife s anctuary. 
•	 nawabganj Bird sanctuary: A shallow 
marshland 45 kilometres from Lucknow in 
uttar Pradesh. Monsoon rains feed this diverse 
wetland while the sarda canal supplies 
additional water. the sanctuary supports 
recreation and tourism activities as well as local 
biodiversity. 
•	 o ther sites include Parvati Agra Bird s anctuary, 
saman Bird samaspur Bird sanctuary, sandi 
Bird sanctuary, sarsai nawar Jheel, sur s arovar, 
and upper g anga r iver.
uttarakhand
•	 Asan Conservation reserve:   it is a 444-hectare 
stretch of the Asan r iver running down to its 
confluence with the Yamuna r iver in Dehradun 
district of uttarakhand. 
by the overflow from neighbouring canals and 
fields, and replenished by saline groundwater. 
the lake features seasonal aquatic vegetation 
and is dotted with artificial islands; the Park also 
includes open grasslands. 
uttar pradesh
•	 Bakhira Wildlife sanctuary: this freshwater 
marsh in the sant Kabir nagar district is the 
largest natural floodplain wetland of eastern 
u ttar Pradesh. t he site is also used for recreation 
and tourism and contributes to food supply and 
nutrient cycling.
•	 haiderpur Wetland: this human-made 
wetland  was formed in 1984 by the 
madhya pradesh
•	 Bhoj Wetlands:   the lakes are very rich in 
biodiversity, particularly for macrophytes, 
phytoplankton, zooplankton, both natural 
and cultured fish species, both resident and 
migratory birds, insects, and reptiles and 
amphibians. 
•	 sakhya sagar: it is a human-made reservoir 
on the outskirts of shivpuri town within the 
Madhav national Park. the site features a 
Page 5


45 April 2024
he convention on Wetlands of 
international importance holds 
the unique distinction of being 
the first modern treaty between 
nations aimed at conserving natural resources. 
the signing of the convention on Wetlands 
took place in 1971 at the small iranian town of 
r amsar. since then, the c onvention on Wetlands 
has been known as the r amsar convention. t he 
r amsar convention’s broad aims are to halt the 
worldwide loss of wetlands and to conserve, 
through wise use and management, those that 
remain. this requires international cooperation, 
policy making, capacity building and technology 
transfer.
under the r amsar convention, a wide variety 
of natural and human-made habitat types ranging 
from rivers to coral reefs can be  classified as 
wetlands. Wetlands include swamps, marshes, 
billabongs, lakes, salt marshes, mudflats, 
mangroves, coral reefs, fens, peat bogs, or bodies 
of water - whether natural or artificial, permanent 
or temporary. Water within these areas can be 
static or flowing; fresh, brackish or saline; and can 
include inland rivers and coastal or marine water 
to a depth of six metres at low tide. t here are even 
underground wetlands.the ramsar convention 
encourages the designation of sites containing 
representative, rare or unique wetlands, or 
wetlands that are important for conserving 
biological diversity. once designated, these sites 
are added to the convention’s List of Wetlands of 
international importance and become known as 
r amsar sites. in designating a wetland as a r amsar 
site, countries agree to establish and oversee a 
management framework aimed at conserving the 
T
THe ramsar coNVe NTioN  
oN WeTLaNDs
46 April 2024
wetland and ensuring its wise use. Wise use under 
the convention is broadly defined as maintaining 
the ecological character of a wetland. 
under the r amsar criteria, wetlands should 
be selected for the ramsar List on account of 
their international significance in terms of the 
biodiversity and uniqueness of their ecology, 
botany, zoology, limnology or hydrology. in 
addition, the criteria indicate that in the first 
instance, wetlands of international importance to 
waterbirds at any season should be included on 
the r amsar List.
Criterion 1: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it contains a 
representative, rare, or unique example of a natural 
or near-natural wetland type found within the 
appropriate biogeographic region.
Criterion 2: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports vulnerable, 
endangered, or critically endangered species or 
threatened ecological communities.
Criterion 3: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports populations 
of plant and/or animal species important for 
maintaining the biological diversity of a particular 
biogeographic region.
Criterion 4: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports plant and/or 
animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, 
or provides refuge during adverse conditions.
Criterion 5: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it regularly supports 
20,000 or more waterbirds.
Criterion 6: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it regularly supports 1% 
of the individuals in a population of one species or 
subspecies of waterbird.
Criterion 7: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it supports a significant 
proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species 
or families, life-history stages, species interactions 
and/or populations that are representative of 
wetland benefits and/or values and thereby 
contributes to global biological diversity.
Criterion 8: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it is an important source 
of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or 
migration path on which fish stocks, either within 
the wetland or elsewhere, depend.
Criterion 9: A wetland should be considered 
internationally important if it regularly supports 
1% of the individuals in a population of one species 
or subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian 
animal species.
r amsar Wetlands sites in i ndia (As in January 2024)
Jammu and Kashmir
•	 h okera Wetland: A natural perennial wetland 
contiguous to the Jhelum basin, it is the only 
site with remaining reedbeds of Kashmir 
and pathway of 68 waterfowl species. it is an 
important source of food, spawning ground 
and nursery for fishes, besides offering feeding 
and breeding ground to a variety of water 
birds.  
•	 hygam Wetland Conservation reserve: t he 
wetland is located within the Jhelum river basin 
and plays a significant role in flood control, 
aquifer recharge, and regulating water flow of 
the Wular Lake. 
•	 shallbugh Wetland Conservation reserve: i t 
lies west of Anchar Lake in the sindh river delta. 
t his shallow wetland is primarily fed by rainfall, 
snowmelt from the Kashmir Himalayas, and 
stream water flowing from the sindh river and 
Anchar Lake. 
•	 o ther sites include surinsar-Mansar Lakes and 
Wular Lake.
l adakh
•	 tso Kar Wetland Complex: this high-altitude 
wetland complex is found at more than 4,500 
metres above sea level in the changthang 
region of Ladakh. the complex includes two 
connected lakes, the freshwater startsapuk tso 
and the larger hypersaline t so Kar; it presents a 
notable example of two such lakes existing in 
close proximity. 
•	 tsomoriri lake: A freshwater to brackish 
lake lying at 4,595m above sea level, with wet 
meadows and borax-laden wetlands along the 
shores. the site is said to represent the only 
breeding ground outside of china for one of 
the most endangered cranes, the Black-necked 
crane and the only breeding ground for Bar-
headed geese in india. 
47 April 2024
h imachal pradesh
•	 Chandertal Wetland: A high altitude lake on 
the upper chandra valley flowing to the chandra 
r iver of the Western Himalayas near the Kunzam 
pass joining the Himalayan and Pir Panchal 
ranges. it supports cites and iucn r edlisted 
snow Leopard and is a refuge for many. 
•	 pong dam l ake: A water storage reservoir 
created in 1975 on the Beas r iver in the low 
foothills of the Himalaya on the northern edge 
of the indo-gangetic plain. Hydrological values 
include monsoon-season flood prevention, 
both in the surroundings and downstream due 
to water regulation, groundwater recharge, silt 
trapping and prevention of soil erosion.
•	 renuka Wetland: A natural wetland with 
freshwater springs and inland subterranean 
karst formations, fed by a small stream flowing 
from the lower Himalayan out to the giri r iver. 
punjab
•	 Beas Conservation reserve: the Beas 
c onservation r eserve is a 185-kilometre stretch 
of the Beas r iver located primarily in the north-
west of the state of Punjab. t he r iver is dotted 
with islands, sand bars, and braided channels 
creating a complex environment supporting 
substantial biodiversity. 
•	 Keshopur-miani Community reserve: 
the reserve is a mosaic of natural marshes, 
aquaculture ponds and agricultural wetlands 
maintained by the annual rainfall runoff. i t 
is heavily human-influenced, and includes a 
series of managed fishponds and cultivated 
crops such lotus and chestnut. 
•	 nangal Wildlife sanctuary: Located in the 
shiwalik foothills of Punjab is the highly eco-
sensitive nangal Wildlife sanctuary, which 
supports abundant flora and fauna including 
threatened species. it occupies a human-made 
reservoir constructed as part of the Bhakra-
nangal Project in 1961. 
•	 other sites include ropar Lake, Harike Lake, 
and Kanjli Lake.
r ajasthan
•	 Keoladeo Ghana np : A complex of ten artificial, 
seasonal lagoons, varying in size, situated 
in a densely populated region. vegetation is 
a mosaic of scrub and open grassland that 
provides habitat for breeding, wintering and 
staging migratory birds. cattle and water 
buffalo graze on the site. 
•	 sambhar l ake: A large saline lake fed by four 
streams set in a shallow wetland and subject to 
seasonal fluctuations. i t is surrounded by sand 
flats and dry thorn scrub and fed by seasonal 
rivers and streams. the site is important for a 
variety of wintering waterbirds, including large 
numbers of flamingos. 
haryana
•	 Bhindawas Wildlife s anctuary: it is a human-
made freshwater wetland, and is the largest 
wetland in Haryana state. the wetland was 
declared as a protected area in 1986 and was 
designated as an eco-sensitive zone by the 
Ministry of environment, Forests and climate 
change in 2011. 
•	 sultanpur national park: t his shallow lake at 
the core of the sultanpur national Park is fed 
48 April 2024
construction of the Madhya ganga Barrage 
on a floodplain of the river ganga. it is 
located within the boundaries of Hastinapur 
Wildlife s anctuary. 
•	 nawabganj Bird sanctuary: A shallow 
marshland 45 kilometres from Lucknow in 
uttar Pradesh. Monsoon rains feed this diverse 
wetland while the sarda canal supplies 
additional water. the sanctuary supports 
recreation and tourism activities as well as local 
biodiversity. 
•	 o ther sites include Parvati Agra Bird s anctuary, 
saman Bird samaspur Bird sanctuary, sandi 
Bird sanctuary, sarsai nawar Jheel, sur s arovar, 
and upper g anga r iver.
uttarakhand
•	 Asan Conservation reserve:   it is a 444-hectare 
stretch of the Asan r iver running down to its 
confluence with the Yamuna r iver in Dehradun 
district of uttarakhand. 
by the overflow from neighbouring canals and 
fields, and replenished by saline groundwater. 
the lake features seasonal aquatic vegetation 
and is dotted with artificial islands; the Park also 
includes open grasslands. 
uttar pradesh
•	 Bakhira Wildlife sanctuary: this freshwater 
marsh in the sant Kabir nagar district is the 
largest natural floodplain wetland of eastern 
u ttar Pradesh. t he site is also used for recreation 
and tourism and contributes to food supply and 
nutrient cycling.
•	 haiderpur Wetland: this human-made 
wetland  was formed in 1984 by the 
madhya pradesh
•	 Bhoj Wetlands:   the lakes are very rich in 
biodiversity, particularly for macrophytes, 
phytoplankton, zooplankton, both natural 
and cultured fish species, both resident and 
migratory birds, insects, and reptiles and 
amphibians. 
•	 sakhya sagar: it is a human-made reservoir 
on the outskirts of shivpuri town within the 
Madhav national Park. the site features a 
49 April 2024
mosaic of landforms including open water and 
surrounding marshes, plantations and a small 
patch of agricultural land.
•	 other sites include sirpur Wetland and 
Yashwant sagar.
Bihar
•	 Kabartal Wetland: Kabartal Wetland, also 
known as Kanwar Jheel, covers 2,620 hectares 
of the indo-gangetic plains in the northern 
Bihar s tate. t he site is one of 18 wetlands within 
an extensive floodplain complex; it floods 
during the monsoon season to a depth of 1.5 
metres. t his absorption of floodwaters is a vital 
service in Bihar state where 70% of the land is 
vulnerable to inundation. 
Gujarat
•	 Khijadia Wildlife sanctuary: As one of the 
important waterbird habitats in north-West 
india, the site provides breeding, feeding and 
roosting grounds for a wide range of resident 
aquatic and also land-based birds.
•	 nalsarovar Bird sanctuary: A natural 
freshwater lake (a relict sea) that is the 
largest natural wetland in the thar Desert 
Biogeographic Province and represents a 
dynamic environment with salinity and depth 
varying depending on rainfall. 
•	 o ther sites include t hol Lake Wildlife s anctuary 
and Wadhvana Wetland.
maharashtra
•	 lonar lake: this wetland on the Deccan 
Plateau is an endorheic or closed basin, almost 
circular in shape, formed by a meteorite impact 
onto the basalt bedrock. t he site includes the 
lake as well as escarpments, which form the 
crater walls, and forested zones. 
•	 nandur madhameshwar: t he site is a mosaic 
of lakes, marshes and riparian forest on the 
Deccan Plateau. construction of the nandur 
Madhameshwar Weir at the confluence of the 
godavari and Kadwa rivers helped create a 
thriving wetland.
•	 thane Creek: the site is one of the largest 
creeks of Asia and hosts many birds migrating 
on the central Asian Flyway. As a sanctuary for 
flamingos and other important bird species, it 
is in the list of important Bird and Biodiversity 
Areas (iBAs). 
odisha
•	 Ansupa lake: A small freshwater oxbow 
lake formed by the Mahanadi river, is known 
nationally for its scenic beauty and rich 
biodiversity. some 194 species of birds, 61 fish 
species, 244 macrophytes, 88 butterflies and 26 
mammals are supported by the wetland. 
•	 Bhitarkanika mangroves: one of the finest 
remaining patches of mangrove forests along 
the indian coast - 25 years of continued 
conservation measures have made the site one 
of the best known wildlife sanctuaries. 
•	 Chilka l ake: Brackish lake separated from the 
Bay of Bengal by a long sandy ridge and subject 
to sea water exchange, resulting in extreme 
seasonal fluctuations in salinity in different 
sections of the lake. saline areas support 
aquatic algae. 
•	 o ther sites include Hirakud r eservoir, satkosia 
gorge, and tampara Lake.
West Bengal
•	 east Kolkata Wetlands: World-renowned as 
a model of a multiple use wetland, the site’s 
resource recovery systems, developed by local 
people through the ages, have saved the city 
of c alcutta from the costs of constructing and 
maintaining waste water treatment plants. 
•	 sunderbans Wetland: it is located within 
the largest mangrove forest in the world, the 
sundarbans that encompasses hundreds