- Overview: India’s tally of Ramsar sites saw a boost ahead of World Water Day, with the Secretariat designating three new high-altitude wetlands from Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya as wetlands of international importance.
- Key Points:
- Biodiversity Conservation: The new sites are critical habitats for migratory birds under the Central Asian Flyway and harbor endemic flora unique to the Eastern Himalayas.
- Ecological Significance: Acts as a vital carbon sink and natural sponge, mitigating the risk of downstream flash floods in the Brahmaputra basin.
- Local Livelihoods: Integration of local tribal communities into the conservation management framework through the “Amrit Dharohar” scheme.
- Global Commitments: Aligns with India’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Ramsar Convention.
Source Link: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
- Q6. Consider the following statements regarding the ‘Montreux Record’:
- It is a register of wetland sites on the Ramsar List where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur.
- Currently, no Indian wetland is listed under the Montreux Record.
- A) 1 only
- B) 2 only
- C) Both 1 and 2
- D) Neither 1 nor 2
