India’s 100th Ramsar site – Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary
India’s 100th Ramsar site
Subject: Environment
Why in the news?
On the occasion of World Environment Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on X the addition of India’s 100th Ramsar site – Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary (Surha Tal) in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, to the list of Wetlands of International Importance.
The inclusion of a wetland on the list reflects the government’s commitment to take the necessary steps to ensure its ecological character is maintained.
This achievement highlights India’s growing commitment to wetland conservation—but what makes these ecosystems so crucial?
HISTORY OF THIS WET LAND
1. In 1991, ‘Surha Taal’ was created with the consolidation of the land area of 45 villages of Baansdih in Ballia town area, aggregating to a total of 3432.93 hectares area. In 2002, its name was changed to “Jai Prakash Narain Bird Sanctuary”.
2. It is situated a distance of 10 kms away from the Ballia City area, stretching up to
- Bhikampur village to its west,
- Singhauli in the north-east,
- and bounded by Dulwara Village in the south-east direction.
- It falls under the jurisdiction of Ballia and Baansdih town area.
3. Surah Taal is a natural perennial oxbow lake -
which serves as a critical wintering ground for avian species traveling along the Central Asian Flyway.
According to UP Eco tourism, it is also a major source of irrigation and groundwater recharge, supporting both wildlife and the nearby farming landscape.
During the monsoon, nearly 25,000 hectares get submerged, which creates a vast natural habitat expansion that few wetlands in India can match.
What are wetlands?
1. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
defines wetlands as “areas of marsh, fen, peat land 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 meters.”
1. Kis tarah ki jagah ho sakti hai?
Marsh, Fen, Peatland: Yeh sab alag-alag tarah ke daldal (swamps) ya gili mitti wale ilake hote hain jahan paani jama rehta hai.
Water: Koi bhi aisi jagah jahan paani maujood ho.
2. Kudrati ya Insaan dwara banayi gayi (Natural or Artificial)
Yeh zaroori nahi ki woh jagah apne aap bani ho (Natural jaise jheel ya nadi).
Agar insaan ne khud banayi hai (Artificial jaise koi dam, reservoir, ya machhli palan ka talab), toh use bhi Ramsar ke mutabik wetland mana ja sakta hai.
3. Hamesha ya Kuch samay ke liye (Permanent or Temporary)
Kuch wetlands mein saal ke 12 mahine paani rehta hai (Permanent).
Kuch aise hote hain jahan sirf baarish ke mausam mein ya saal ke kuch mahine hi paani aata hai aur baad mein woh sookh jaate hain (Temporary). Unhe bhi wetland hi gina jayega.
4. Paani ruka hua ya Behta hua (Static or Flowing)
Paani ek jagah ruka hua bhi ho sakta hai (Static jaise jheel ya pond).
Ya phir chalta-phirta behta hua bhi ho sakta hai (Flowing jaise choti nadi ya dharayein).
5. Paani ka swaad (Fresh, Brackish, or Salt)
Fresh: Meetha paani (jaise talab ya jheel).
Brackish: Thoda khara aur thoda meetha mix paani (jaise jahan nadi aur samundar milte hain).
Salt: Poora khara paani (samundar ka paani).
6. Samundar ke liye ek khaas shart (Marine water ≤ 6 meters)
Agar samundar ka tatai (coastal) ilaka hai, toh use tabhi wetland mana jayega jab Low Tide (bhaata - jab samundar ka paani sabse peeche chala jata hai) ke samay bhi wahan paani ki gehrai 6 meter (lagbhag 20 feet) se zyada na ho. Agar paani isse gehra hai, toh woh gehra samundar mana jayega, wetland nahi.
2. Indian government’s definition of wetland
excludes
- river channels,
- paddy fields
- other areas where commercial activity takes place.
The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017
notified by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change definition of wetlands “does not include
- river channels,
- paddy fields,
- human-made water bodies/ tanks specifically constructed for drinking water purposes
- and structures specifically constructed for aquaculture, salt production, recreation and irrigation purposes.”
How did the Ramsar Convention come into being?
Ramsar Convention was adopted in 1971 in the city of Ramsar in Iran and came into force in 1975.
It was the first intergovernmental agreement focused exclusively on a specific ecosystem, i.e. wetlands.
The convention rests on the three main pillars:
- conservation of wetlands of international importance,
- promotion of the wise use of all wetlands within a country’s territory and
- international co-operation on shared wetland systems and migratory species.
The Convention has 172 signatory countries
They are obligated to create wetland reserves and promote the wise use of wetland habitats.
India joined it in 1982, initially designating the Chilika Lake in Odisha and Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan.
designation is for “Wetlands of International Importance
They are recognised as of significant value not only to the countries in which they are located, but to humanity as a whole.
The inclusion of a wetland on the list reflects the government’s commitment to take the necessary steps to ensure its ecological character is maintained.
What is the significance of wetlands?
Wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet
They are the transitional ecosystems between terrestrial and aquatic environments, characterised by the presence of water-either permanently or seasonally- that supports diverse plant and animal life.
They are rich in biodiversity and play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance.
- Although wetlands constitute only around 6 per cent of the Earth’s Land surface, they provide habitat and breeding grounds for nearly 40 per cent of all plant and animal species.
- They also provide natural protection to nearly 60 per cent of the global population living along coastlines by mitigating the impact of storm surges, hurricanes and tsunamis.
- such as food and fodder,
- mainly rice and fish, and it also supports livelihoods through
- fisheries,
- agriculture
- and eco-tourism.
- They act as natural sponges, absorb excess
- rainfall, thereby reducing the risk of floods.
- As effective carbon sinks, wetlands store carbon in both soil and biomass.
- They are often called the ‘kidneys of the landscape’ due to their ability to filter pollutants, purify water and maintain water quality.
What are the threats to wetlands?
According to the Ramsar Convention’s Global Wetland Outlook (2025), at
- least 400 million hectares of wetlands have been lost since 1970,
- with nearly a quarter of those remaining in a degraded state.
9. $39 trillion in benefits each year
“Wetlands provide society with up to $39 trillion in benefits each year—
but we continue to lose them at a rate of 0.52% annually”, as per Global Wetland Outlook Report (2025).
Land conversion for agriculture, urbanisation and infrastructure development are the leading reasons behind declining wetland areas.
Also, industrial and domestic waste pollute water bodies, and unsustainable farming practices disrupt hydrology. Climate change exacerbates these challenges by altering rainfall patterns and increasing the frequency of extreme events.
Mangroves
1. Mangrove swamps are coastal wetlands found in tropical and subtropical regions.
The Global Wetland Outlook Report 2025
has evaluated eleven broad wetland types that include Mangroves. As per Global Mangrove Watch, 15.11 million ha area is under mangroves.
2. Mangroves are
salt-tolerant trees and shrubs typical of estuarine and intertidal regions, meaning they grow in areas where freshwater and saltwater meet.
Mangroves typically have aerial, breathing roots and waxy, succulent leaves, and are flowering plants.
They thrive in high-rainfall areas (1,000–3,000 mm) with temperatures ranging from 26°C to 35°C.
3. The unique characteristic of mangroves is
the way their seeds/propagules germinate / ankuran . The seeds actually germinate on the tree itself, and then fall off from the tree into the water, taking root only when encumbered / loaded by mud and sediment.
This is a very unique adaptation in the mangroves that helps them perpetuate in the harsh saline conditions. This phenomenon is scientifically termed vivipary.
4. ‘Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)’
In 2023, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change launched the ‘Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)’.
It aims to promote and conserve mangroves as a unique, natural ecosystem having very high biological productivity and carbon sequestration potential, besides working as a bio shield.
From Gujarat to Andaman & Nicobar Islands, MISHTI brings together 13 coastal States and Union Territories under a common vision of resilient coastlines, ecological restoration, better livelihood opportunities, biodiversity conservation, blue economy growth, and climate action.
Post-Read Questions
(1) Which of the following best explain(s) the rationale for protecting mangrove ecosystems in the context of climate resilience? (UPSC CSE 2026)
1. Mangroves reduce tidal energy and store freshwater, making them ideal sites for paddy cultivation in saline estuarine belts.
2. Their salt-sensitive roots filter seawater, making mangroves key to converting coastal land into freshwater aquaculture zones.
3. By withstanding tidal surges and offering biomass resources, mangroves function both as natural bio-shields and livelihood bases for rural communities.
Select the answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 3 only
(2) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2019)
1. Under the Ramsar Convention, it is mandatory on the part of the Government of India to protect and conserve all the wetlands in the territory of India.
2. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India based on the recommendations of the Ramsar Convention.
3. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 also encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands as determined by the authority.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
(Note: India has now adopted the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017; this is a 2019 question, so don’t confuse it with the current definition that the government follows for the wetlands as per 2017 rules.)
| Answer key |
| 1. (d) 2. (c) |
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