PM announces India’s 100th Ramsar site in UP’s Ballia

The Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia district has been designated as India’s 100th Ramsar site, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday.  Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, an environmental treaty established in 1971.

In a post on social media, Modi said, “A century as far as Ramsar sites are concerned! Glad that the Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary (Surha Tal) in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh has been designated as India’s 100th Ramsar site. This wetland is rich in avifaunal biodiversity, attracting several migratory and resident birds.”

The prime minister also stated that India’s unwavering commitment to protecting its natural surroundings and wetlands in particular is clearly reflected in this milestone.

“Over the years, efforts to conserve and rejuvenate wetlands have been strengthened through greater community participation, science, innovation and awareness initiatives. These endeavours are helping preserve biodiversity, secure ecological balance and create a greener future for coming generations,” he said.

The Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary, which is also known as Surha Tal, is the 13th Ramsar Site of Uttar Pradesh, according to an official statement issued in Lucknow. UP Forest Minister Arun Kumar Saxena presented the certificate related to it to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on the stage during an environment day program, the statement said.

India is one of the Contracting Parties to the ‘Convention on Wetlands’, known as the Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. India became a signatory to the convention on February 1, 1982.

Ramsar sites are significant as they can serve as model examples of the nation’s commitment to conservation and management under internationally accepted frameworks.

 In designating a wetland as a Ramsar site, countries agree to establish and oversee a management framework aimed at conserving the wetland.