CM Yogi stresses need to preserve Ramsar sites, recognises their potential for local employment

Gonda (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 2 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday highlighted the significant progress made in wetland conservation and said that while only 23 wetland sites were recognised in the first 65 years of India's Independence, 63 new sites have been recognised in the past decade under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
Speaking at the World Wetlands Day programme held at the Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary in Gonda, CM Yogi emphasised the need for continuous efforts to preserve these sites and recognised their potential to generate local employment through tourism.
"Since 65 years of Independence, only 23 wetland sites were recognised. But, in the last 10 years, under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, 63 new sites have been recognised. We will have to make continuous efforts to preserve these sites. There should be a new beginning in that direction. We have identified many areas, and I am happy that we have been successful in carrying out this programme as a new initiative in that direction," he said.
"If we look at these wetlands from a tourism perspective, they can become a medium to generate employment at local level," he emphasised.
CM Yogi highlighted that tourism, in itself, is a major means of improving the economy and providing people the opportunity for employment whether it's heritage tourism or spiritual tourism.
"We focused a little on Ayodhya Dham, improved connectivity, and enhanced some facilities. In 2016, only 2,35,000 tourists visited Ayodhya Dham, but by 2024, that number has reached 16 crore 11 lakh. This has led to an increase in employment opportunities there, whether as a guide, in restaurants, as taxi drivers, etc," he said.
The Centre has recently added four new Ramsar sites in India, taking the total tally to 89. The new sites included two in Tamil Nadu, one in Sikkim and one in Jharkhand. This makes India the country with the largest number of such sites in South Asia.
These wetlands are protected under various national laws including the Indian Forest Act (1927), the Forest (Conservation) Act (1980), and the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act (1972).
Between 1982 and 2013, India added 26 sites to its list of Ramsar sites. However, from 2014 to 2024, the country has significantly increased its commitment to wetland conservation by adding 59 new Ramsar sites.
Notably, India is home to a diverse array of wetlands, with a total of 1,307 across the country. Among these, 113 are recognised as significant wetlands due to their ecological importance and contribution to biodiversity.
Within this group, 85 wetlands have been designated as Ramsar sites, highlighting their international significance for conservation. In addition to these, there are 1,109 other wetlands that contribute to the rich tapestry of India's natural landscapes.
Further, these wetlands are crucial habitats for migratory birds, particularly those traveling along the Central Asian Flyway. These wetlands serve as vital stopover sites where birds can rest and refuel during their long migrations.
A wetland bearing the tag of a Ramsar site becomes a place of international importance under the Convention on Wetlands (also known as Ramsar Convention), an international environmental treaty signed Ramsar, Iran, on February 2, 1971. (ANI)