Context:
Five more wetlands added to the list of Ramsar sites
5 new Ramsar Sites:
- Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve
- State – Karnataka
- Human-made Village Irrigation Tank
- Species – Painted Stork and Black-headed Ibis
- Aghanashini Estuary
- State – Karnataka
- Formed at the confluence of Aghanashini River with the Arabian sea
- Estuarine rice fields here are locally known as Gazni rice fieldsMangrove ecosystem
- Famous for Waterboard species – Black-backed gull, Woolly- necked stork, Eurasian oystercatcher and Oriental Darter
- Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve
- State – Karnataka
- Human-made wetlandSignificance – A designated Important Bird Area
- Species – 2 Vulnerable species namely Common pochard and River tern
- 4 Near-threatened species, namely Oriental Darter, Black-headed Ibis, Woolly- necked Stork and Painted Stork
- Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary
- State – Tamil Nadu
- Significance – One of the largest inland wetlands of Tamil Nadu and a significant source of groundwater recharge for the area.
- Species – Bar headed Goose, Pin-tailed duck, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard and Eurasian Wigeon
- Longwood Shola Reserve Forest, Tamilnadu
- State – Tamil Nadu
- ‘Sholai’ – Tropical Rain Forest
- Area – Nilgiris, Anamalais, Palni hills, Kalakadu, Mundanthurai and Kanyakumari
- Species – Black-chinned Nilgiri Laughing thrush (Endangered), Nilgiri Blue Robin(Endangered) and Nilgiri Wood-pigeon(Vulnerable)
- India ratified Ramsar Convention in – 1982
- Total – 80
- Leading State – Tamil Nadu (16 sites) followed by Uttar Pradesh
- World Wetlands Day – February 2
- To commemorate the adoption of Ramsar Convention on 2nd February 1971
Source: PIB
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
1. Under Ramsar Convention, it is mandatory on the part of the Government of India to protect and conserve all the wetlands in the territory of India.
2. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India based on the recommendation of the Ramsar Convention.
3. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 also encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands as determined by the authority.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2019 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (c)
Explanation:
Statement 1 is incorrect. Ramsar Convention is not a mandatory regime that enforce parties to conserve wetlands.Rather, it guides the member nations in conservation of wetlands.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 which is framed by the Ministry of Environment is not based on the recommendation of the Ramsar Convention.
