Chandigarh, Oct 15 (PTI) Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh has been declared a Ramsar site, which would bring greater international attention to its conservation efforts and global scientific oversight.
Ramsar sites are also called Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention, an environmental treaty established in 1971.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Thursday announced Sukhna wetland in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh as Ramsar sites.
“India’s Ramsar site tally reaches 103. India continues to strengthen its commitment to wetland conservation, with Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh becoming the latest additions to the list of Ramsar Sites,” Yadav said in a post on X.
He said the milestone highlights the importance that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has been placing on wetlands in conserving biodiversity, enhancing water and climate security, and sustaining local livelihoods.
“These additions reaffirm India’s ongoing efforts to conserve its rich wetland ecosystems and strengthen the ecological, climatic and livelihood benefits they provide.
“I congratulate Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh for this feat,” he said. “Dear travellers, do visit Sukhna and Sauj next time you have a couple of days at hand.”
Punjab Governor and UT Chandigarh Administrator, Gulab Chand Kataria, hailed it as a historic milestone for environmental conservation and sustainable ecosystem management.
Expressing his profound happiness and pride on behalf of the administration and citizens, Kataria congratulated the people of Chandigarh, conservationists, experts, the forest and wildlife department and all concerned for their unrelenting dedication toward protecting this iconic natural ecosystem.
“Addition of Sukhna Wetland to this prestigious international framework has further enhanced the country’s global leadership in wetland conservation, biodiversity protection, and sustainable ecosystem management,” he said.
Sukhna Wetland is a peri-urban wetland and supports a range of habitats, from open water to littoral vegetation, scrub and forest, providing habitat for diverse floral and faunal species, an official statement said.
It is particularly important for resident water birds and other migrating birds along the Central Asian Flyway, providing feeding, breeding, roosting and wintering habitats. Notable species include the vulnerable common pochard (Aythya ferina) and the endangered Pallas’s fish eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus).
The shallow littoral habitats also support reptiles such as the endangered black pond turtle (Geoclemys hamiltonii). The wetland is also an important recreational and educational resource for the people of Chandigarh, providing a natural refuge adjacent to the urban landscape.
Designation of Sukhna wetland as Ramsar site acknowledges its ecological and cultural and significance. It is not merely a prominent city landmark, but a vital life support system and biodiversity hotspot that provides critical habitat for thousands of migratory birds navigating the Central Asian Flyway each year, the statement said.
The international recognition under the Ramsar Convention brings global scientific oversight, enhanced technical assistance, and avenues for eco-tourism and environmental education.
The historic status reinforces the UT Administration’s unwavering resolve to protect the wetland, its vast catchment area, and the adjoining Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary from degradation, ensuring long-term ecological balance, it said.
The significant international accolade has been made possible due to the continuous guidance, visionary leadership, and steadfast patronage of Gulab Chand Kataria, the statement said.
“Under his proactive stewardship and goal-oriented approach, the Chandigarh Administration streamlined eco-restoration measures, prioritised sustainable catchment management, and expedited inter-departmental coordination to fulfil global conservation benchmarks.
His constant encouragement has inspired officers, conservationists, and the local community to work cohesively toward securing this historic international status for Sukhna Wetland, thereby bringing global honour to the Union territory,” it said. PTI SUN SKY
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