India’s three more wetlands added to Ramsar Sites List

Current Context : On the eve of Independence Day  3 more wetlands added to the list of Ramsar sites.

• Three new sites included are Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu and Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh.
• With this addition, the tally of Ramsar sites touches to 85 covering an area of 1358068 ha in the country.

NANJARAYAN BIRD SANCTUARY

• Location : north-eastern region of Uthukuli Taluk of Tiruppur District in Tamil Nadu.
• It is a large shallow wetland named after King Nanjarayan (who restored and repaired it).
• It depends on heavy rain water flow from Nallar drainage.
• Acts as feeding and nesting habitat for resident and migratory birds; water source for agricultural purpose
• Area : 865 Ha.

KAZHUVELI BIRD SANCTUARY

• It was declared as the 16th bird sanctuary in Tamil Nadu in the year 2021.
• It is a brackish shallow lake located on the Coromandel Coast in Villupuram district, North of Pondicherry.
• Connected to Bay of Bengal by brackish Uppukalli creek and Yedayanthittu estuary.
• It is Breeding ground for birds, fish; source for aquifer recharge; houses highly degraded mangrove patches containing Avicennia species
• The lake is one of the largest wetlands in peninsular India.
• Area : 5151.6 ha.

TAWA RESERVOIR

• Located inside Satpura Tiger Reserve and borders Satpura National Park and Bori Wildlife Sanctuary.
• It is an important habitat for many local and migratory birds.
• It constructed at the confluence of the Tawa and Denwa rivers.
• River Malani, Sonbhadra, and Nagdwari are the major tributaries of Tawa reservoir.
• Tawa River, a left bank tributary of Narmada river originates from Mahadeo hills in Chhindwara district, flows through Betul district and joins river Narmada in Narmadapuram district.

ABOUT WETLAND

• Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil or is present near the soil’s surface for varying periods of the year. They are distinguished by their unique hydrology, soil types, and vegetation.
• Wetland must meet at least 1 of 9 criteria like regularly supports 20,000 or more water birds, or conserving biological diversity
• Now, total Ramsar Sites in India is 85.
• Tamil Nadu has maximum Ramsar Sites.