The North News
New Delhi, January 31
India has added two more wetlands to its list of Ramsar sites, the Union environment minister has announced, days ahead of World Wetlands Day on February 2. Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday said that the Patna Bird Sanctuary in Etah district of Uttar Pradesh and Chhari-Dhand in the Kutch region of Gujarat had been included in the international Ramsar network.
In a post on social media platform X, Yadav said India’s Ramsar network had expanded by more than 276% since 2014, growing from 26 sites to 98 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the international recognition reflected India’s commitment to environmental protection and wetland conservation.
According to the ministry, the two wetlands support hundreds of migratory and resident bird species. The surrounding areas are also home to wildlife such as chinkara, wolves, caracal, desert cats and desert foxes, along with several endangered bird species. India is a contracting party to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an international treaty signed in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971. The country joined the convention in February 1982. Wetlands designated under the treaty are recognised as being of international importance for conservation and sustainable management.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the addition of the two sites, congratulating local communities and conservationists.
Responding to Yadav’s post, Modi said the recognition reaffirmed India’s commitment to preserving biodiversity and protecting vital ecosystems, adding that the wetlands should continue to thrive as safe habitats for migratory and native species.
