India Adds Two Ramsar Wetlands in Bihar Makes 93 in total

Two More Ramsar Wetlands are added in Bihar in India.

India has made another giant stride in the process of enhancing the conservation of wetlands in this country with two new locations in Bihar being added to the illustrious Ramsar list of wetlands of international interest. Inclusion of Gokul Jalashay in Buxar and Udaipur Jheel in West Champaran brings the number of Ramsar sites in India up to 93 (the highest in Asia and the third-largest in the world). This success represents the increased attention of the country to environmental preservation and biodiversity conservation.

What is the Ramsar Convention?
Ramsar Convention is an International treaty signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran with the aim of conserving and sustainable use of wetlands. It has 172 member countries and wetlands are known as very important ecosystems that control floods, groundwater recharge and other important benefits like providing home to numerous species. They are also a source of food, livelihood and cultural practices to people.

Countless Ramsar Network in India.
India has experienced impressive development over the last 10 years. The number of Ramsar sites has risen dramatically since only 26 sites were listed in 2012, with now 93 locations, and occupying over 1.36 million hectares. It is also noteworthy that in 2020 alone, 51 new wetlands have been included in the list, which demonstrates that India has stepped up in its calls to conserve the wetlands. This places the country as the leader in all of Asia and second globally only to UK and Mexico.

Gokul Jalashay: Natural Defence.
Gokul Jalashay is an oxbow lake that is situated at the southern boundary of the Ganga and which is an important factor in flood control. It not only protects the surrounding villages when there are floods of the season, but also sustains over 50 species of birds. The lake supports local communities in terms of fishing, irrigation as well as farming. Villagers clean and preserve the wetland as a part of a traditional festival every year and this way ecology is integrated with culture.

Udaipur Jheel: Biodiversity Haven.
Another oxbow named Udaipur Jheel encloses a village and supports even more impressive 280 plant species including the endemic herb Alysicarpus roxburghianus. It is also a refuge of almost 35 migratory birds like the common pochard, which is an endangered species, and hence plays a critical role in protecting birds.

Why Wetlands Matter
Wetlands such as these control water cycles, minimize the risks of climate change and support the rural means of living. Through their protection, India is both preserving its biodiversity but also resilience to climate change and sustainable development of the future generations.