Snippets of Information
Geographical features (Physiographic Divisions) - Ramsar sites
* 16 Nov 2024
India is home to a remarkable range of wetlands, shaped by its diverse
climate, terrain and rainfall patterns. India became a member of the
Ramsar Convention, a global treaty focused on wetland conservation, on
February 1, 1982. Since then, 85 wetlands, covering over 13,600 square
kilometres have been designated as Ramsar sites. This places India at the top in South Asia and third in Asia for the number of designated wetland sites.
Source: Today on Bing, Nov 16, 2024
RAMSAR SITES OF INDIA (as on 24.01.2024) (moef.gov.in)
* 16 Nov 2024
The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty signed in
1971 in Ramsar, Iran. It encourages the protection and conservation of
wetlands worldwide by designating them as such.
Organisations like the International Union for Conservation of Nature,
the World Wide Fund for Nature, and other environmental agencies are
associated with the treaty.
It also has 172 signatory countries. They are obligated to create
wetland reserves and promote the wise use of wetland habitats. India
joined it in 1982.
According to the Ramsar convention, wetlands are defined as "areas of
marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent
or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or
salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide
does not exceed six metres".
Wetlands help regulate climate conditions through carbon sequestration,
that is, carbon storage from the atmosphere. The plant communities and
soil in wetlands capture carbon instead of releasing it to the
atmosphere as carbon dioxide, one of the major drivers of global
warming.
Source: India adds 3 new Ramsar sites: What are wetlands, why do
they matter for the environment? by Manasvi Kalra, indianexpress.com,
August 29, 2024
* 1 May 2026
A Ramsar site is categorised as a wetland of "international importance"
under the Ramsar Convention's list. The basis on which a wetland is
considered to be Ramsar site are biodiversity conservation, ecological
balance, and providing critical habitats, particularly for migratory
waterbirds.
The government is planning to get the 5.16 hectare Neeli Jheel at Asola Bhatti wildlife sanctuary notified as Delhi's first Ramsar site. The government is also in the process of identifying and protecting over 1,000 water bodies in the Capital.
Source: Neeli Jheel could be Delhi’s first Ramsar site by Jasjeev Gandhiok, hindustantimes.com
|
