Lok Sabha Question No. 161 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-11-29
Subject: Ramsar Sites
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.161

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.11.2021

## Ramsar Sites

## 161.  SHRI T.R. BAALU:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) the details of Ramsar Sites, declared as such, under the United Nations Convention on Wetlands, State- wise;
- (b) whether it is a fact that the vast wetlands stretch of Pallikkaranai Marsh in Chennai which is  a  fully  qualified  wetland  expanding  over  several  hundred  squarekilometres  area,  has not been declared a Ramsar Site;
- (c) if so, the reasons therefor and the action beingtaken by the Union Government to include Pallikkaranai Marsh wetlands under the scope of Ramsar Convention;and
- (d) pending its declaration as Ramsar Site, the plans for protecting the Pallikkaranai wetlands from degradation?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) So far, 46 Ramsar Sites have been designated in the Country. The State-wise details of these Ramsar Sites are annexed .
- (b) to (d) As per protocol, Ramsar Secretariat declares wetlands as Ramsar Sites after receipt of proposals  from  the  Country's  designated  Administrative  Authority.  The  proposal  for  declaring Pallikaranai  Marshland  as  'Ramsar  Site'  has  been  received  by  this  Ministry  from  the  State Government  vide  letter  dated  20.11.2021.  The  same  has  been  submitted  for  approval  of competent authority.

Under the scheme of National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA), an amount of Rs. 2.78 Crores has already been released as central share to the State Government of Tamil Nadu for the conservation and management of Pallikaranai Wetland.

Further,  as  per  the  information  received  from  the  State  Government,  the  following  steps  have been taken by them for protecting the Pallikaranai Wetland from degradation:

-  A separate conservation authority namely, 'Conservation Authority of Pallikaranai Marshland (CAPML)' has been constitutedunder the Chairpersonship of Principal Secretary, Department of Environment, Climate Change & Forests, Government of Tamil Nadu.
-  Weekly meetings are also  convened  by  the  Member Secretary,  Tamil  Nadu  State  Wetland Authority for issuance of draft notification for 32 'Natural wetlands' located in and around the Pallikaranai Marshland under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.
-  24X7 Monitoring of Pallikaranai Marshland through regular patrolling and field inspections.
-  Advisory has been issued to the Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation to relocate the existing dump yards - Alandur dump yard and Perungudi Dump yard from Pallikaranai Marsh to any other suitable location.
-  The Additional Chief Secretary, Municipal administration & Water Supply, Chennai has been advised for identification of the source of municipal solid wastes; sewage inlets points, etc., draining  into  Pallikaranai  Marsh  and  to  take  suitable  action  for  arresting  the  disposal  of Municipal wastes, sewage, treated/ untreated effluents into the Pallikaranai Marsh.
-  The Chairman, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has been advised to take samples from all the inlet channels and to report on health status of the Pallikaranai Marsh.
-  The District Collector,  Chennai District and the District Collector, Chengalpet Districtwere issued  instructions  for  survey  of  encroachments,  unauthorized  settlements  in  Pallikaranai Marsh area.
-  The Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation, Chennai; the Commissioner, Land Administration, Chepauk, Chennai have been instructed to identify and cancel the pattas that have been obtained illegally during the past.

******

## Annexure

## Details of Ramsar Sites in the Country, State - wise (as on 23.11.2021)

| S. No.   | State/UT         |   S. No. | Wetland                                    | Date of Designation   |
|----------|------------------|----------|--------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
| 1        | AndhraPradesh    |        1 | Kolleru Lake                               | 19-08-2002            |
| 2        | Assam            |        2 | Deepor Beel                                | 19-08-2002            |
| 3        | Bihar            |        3 | Kabartal Wetland                           | 21-07-2020            |
| 4        | Gujarat          |        4 | Nal sarovar                                | 24-09-2012            |
| 4        | Gujarat          |        5 | Wadhvana Wetland                           | 05-04-2021            |
| 4        | Gujarat          |        6 | Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary               | 05-04-2021            |
| 5        | Haryana          |        7 | Sultanpur National Park                    | 25-05-2021            |
| 5        | Haryana          |        8 | Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary               | 25-05-2021            |
| 6        | HimachalPra desh |        9 | Chandertal Wetland                         | 08-11-2005            |
| 6        | HimachalPra desh |       10 | Pong Dam Lake                              | 19-08-2002            |
| 6        | HimachalPra desh |       11 | Renuka Wetland                             | 08-11-2005            |
| 7        | Jammu andKashmir |       12 | Hokera Wetland                             | 08-11-2005            |
| 7        | Jammu andKashmir |       13 | Surinsar-Mansar Lakes                      | 08-11-2005            |
| 7        | Jammu andKashmir |       14 | Wular Lake                                 | 23-03-1990            |
| 8        | Kerala           |       15 | Asthamudi Wetland                          | 19-08-2002            |
| 8        | Kerala           |       16 | SasthamkottaL ake                          | 19-08-2002            |
| 8        | Kerala           |       17 | Vembanad Kol Wetland                       | 19-08-2002            |
| 9        | Ladakh           |       18 | TsoKar Wetland Complex                     | 17-11-2020            |
|          |                  |       19 | Tsomoriri Lake                             | 19-08-2002            |
| 10       | MadhyaPradesh    |       20 | Bhoj Wetlands                              | 19-08-2002            |
| 11       | Maharashtra      |       21 | Lonar Lake                                 | 22-07-2020            |
| 11       | Maharashtra      |       22 | Nandur Madhameshwar                        | 21-06-2019            |
| 12       | Manipur          |       23 | Loktak Lake                                | 23-03-1990            |
| 13       | Odisha           |       24 | Bhitarkanika Mangroves                     | 19-08-2002            |
| 13       | Odisha           |       25 | Chilka Lake                                | 01-10-1981            |
| 14       | Punjab           |       26 | Beas Conservation Reserve                  | 26-09-2019            |
| 14       | Punjab           |       27 | Harike Lake                                | 23-03-1990            |
| 14       | Punjab           |       28 | Kanjli Lake                                | 22-01-2002            |
| 14       | Punjab           |       29 | Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve           | 26-09-2019            |
| 14       | Punjab           |       30 | Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary                  | 26-09-2019            |
| 14       | Punjab           |       31 | Ropar Lake                                 | 22-01-2002            |
| 15       | Rajasthan        |       32 | Keoladeo Ghana National Park               | 1-10-1981             |
| 15       | Rajasthan        |       33 | Sambhar Lake                               | 23-03-1990            |
| 16       | TamilNadu        |       34 | Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary | 19-08-2002            |

| 17             | Tripura        | 35            | Rudrasagar Lake             | 08-11-2005   |
|----------------|----------------|---------------|-----------------------------|--------------|
| 18             | UttarPradesh   | 36            | Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary    | 19-09-2019   |
| 18             | UttarPradesh   | 37            | Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary | 02-12-2019   |
| 18             | UttarPradesh   | 38            | Saman Bird Sanctuary        | 02-12-2019   |
| 18             | UttarPradesh   | 39            | Samaspur Bird Sanctuary     | 03-10-2019   |
| 18             | UttarPradesh   | 40            | Sandi Bird Sanctuary        | 26-09-2019   |
| 18             | UttarPradesh   | 41            | Sarsai Nawar Jheel          | 19-09-2019   |
| 18             | UttarPradesh   | 42            | Sur Sarovar                 | 21-08-2020   |
| 18             | UttarPradesh   | 43            | Upper Ganga River           | 08-11-2005   |
| 19             | Uttarakhand    | 44            | Asan Conservation Reserve   | 21-07-2020   |
| 20             | WestBengal     | 45            | East Calcutta Wetlands      | 19-08-2002   |
| 20             | WestBengal     | 46            | Sunderbans Wetland          | 30-01-2019   |
| 20 States &UTs | 20 States &UTs | 46RamsarSites | 46RamsarSites               |              |