World Wetlands Day is observed on 2nd February every year. It commemorates the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance in 1971. India has been a party to the Convention since 1982. It proudly hosts several wetlands that are crucial for biodiversity. Celebrating World Wetlands Day highlights the importance of these ecosystems.
India has recently increased its tally of Ramsar sites (Wetlands of International Importance) to 89. This was achieved by designating four more wetlands as Ramsar sites – Udhwa Lake in Jharkhand, Theerthangal, and Sakkarakottai in Tamil Nadu, and Khecheopalri in Sikkim. These are the first Ramsar Sites of Sikkim and Jharkhand.
Consequently, with the addition of these wetlands to the List of Wetlands of International Importance, the total area covered under Ramsar sites is now 1.358 million ha. All in all, Tamil Nadu continues to have the maximum number of Ramsar Sites (20 sites), followed by Uttar Pradesh (10 sites).
To sum up, wetlands are critical in environmental conservation, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods. During World Wetlands Day, the spotlight is on the crucial role wetlands play.
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