World Wetlands Day occurs annually on February 2, marking the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971 when a small group of environmentalists signed an international agreement at the Ramsar Convention in Iran.
Theme 2021: 'Wetlands and Water'
Theme 2020 : Wetlands and Biodiversity
Theme 2019 : Wetlands and Climate Change
Theme 2018 : Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban future
Theme 2020 : Wetlands and Biodiversity
Theme 2019 : Wetlands and Climate Change
Theme 2018 : Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban future
Ramsar Sites in India
India currently has 41 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites)
The Ramsar convention entered into force in India on 1 February 1982. The 10 new Ramsar sites of India announced by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) includes:
- Nawabganj, Parvati Agra, Saman, Samaspur, Sandi and Sarsai Nawar -Uttar Pradesh
- Nandur Madhameshwar-Maharashtra
- Keshopur-Miani, Beas Conservation Reserve and Nangal -Punjab
The Sunderban Reserve Forest (Sunderban Wetlands, West Bengal) also recently made its entry into the list of Ramsar site in India on 1st February 2020.
Newly added Ramsar sites in India
- Kabartal Wetland (Bihar) and Asan Conservation Reserve (Uttrakhand) have been designated as Ramsar sites.
- Sur Sarovar on the List of Wetlands of International Importance), commonly known as Keetham Lake, is a human-made reservoir in the State of Uttar Pradesh in northern India.
- Lonar Lake on the Deccan Plateau in Maharashtra State
- Tso, Ladakh
- Sultanpur National Park, Haryana
- Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary, Harayana
- Wadhvana Wetland, Gujarat
- Thol Lake, Gujarat
Total number of Ramsar site in India 54 (July 2022)
The new sites are Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest & Pichavaram Mangrove in Tamil Nadu, Pala wetland in Mizoram and Sakhya Sagar in Madhya Pradesh.