Ramsar Sites and Wetland Conservation for UPSC

Ramsar Sites and Wetlands in India: Criteria, Montreux Record, Key Sites, Threats, and Management

Wetlands are nature’s kidneys and sponges—filtering water, storing floods, recharging aquifers, buffering coasts, and sheltering biodiversity. The Ramsar Convention recognises internationally important wetlands, but real protection depends on national rules, local stewardship, and sound hydrology. This article explains Ramsar criteria and obligations, India’s fast-growing list of sites, the Montreux Record, key laws (Wetlands Rules 2017, NPCA), threats, and practical pathways to conserve and restore wetlands without turning them into “wastelands.”

Why Wetlands Matter

• Water filtration: Plants and microbes trap sediments and break down pollutants; examples include East Kolkata Wetlands naturally treating sewage.
• Flood buffering: Wetlands store peak flows and release slowly—loss leads to urban floods (Chennai 2015, Bengaluru 2022).
• Groundwater recharge: Floodplain wetlands feed aquifers; tanks in peninsular India form cascading recharge systems.
• Biodiversity and livelihoods: Fish nurseries, waterbirds, mangroves/reefs, fodder, reeds, tourism, and cultural values.
• Carbon: Peatlands and mangroves store “blue carbon”; drainage releases CO₂ and methane.

Ramsar Convention Basics

Adopted in 1971 at Ramsar (Iran), in force 1975. Core ideas: “wise use” of wetlands (sustainable use that maintains ecological character), listing of internationally important sites, and international cooperation for shared wetlands and migratory species. Bodies include the COP, Standing Committee, Scientific and Technical Review Panel, and a small Secretariat in Gland, Switzerland.

Ramsar Criteria (1–9) in Plain Language

“Wise use” does not mean “no use”; it allows sustainable fishing, grazing, and livelihoods that keep ecological character intact.

India’s Ramsar Footprint

India has rapidly expanded its Ramsar list—80+ sites as of 2024 (update number before use), covering ~1.3+ million hectares. First sites were Chilika Lake and Keoladeo in 1981; the 75th site was marked during Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. States like Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu currently lead in site counts.

Key Indian Sites to Know

• Chilika (Odisha): Brackish lagoon, Irrawaddy dolphins; removed from Montreux after hydrological restoration.
• Keoladeo Ghana (Rajasthan): Man-made wetland; waterbird hub; on Montreux due to water scarcity issues.
• Loktak (Manipur): Phumdis (floating meadows), Sangai deer; on Montreux because of hydrological alteration by Ithai barrage.
• Sundarbans (West Bengal): Mangroves, tigers, cyclone buffer; UNESCO World Heritage too.
• Vembanad–Ashtamudi (Kerala): Backwaters supporting clams, fisheries, houseboat tourism; pollution and reclamation pressures.
• Sambhar (Rajasthan): Saline lake, flamingos; illegal brine extraction and water diversion threats.
• Wular (J&K): Large freshwater lake; siltation and willow plantations shrink area.
• Haiderpur (UP): Ganga floodplain wetland; recent addition showing value of riverine barrages as habitat.
• Pallikaranai (TN): Urban marsh in Chennai; solid waste pressure; legal protection improving hydrology.

Montreux Record: The ICU List

The Montreux Record is a register of Ramsar sites where ecological character has changed or is likely to. India’s current entries: Keoladeo and Loktak. Chilika was removed after recovery (dredging mouth, improving salinity gradient, community fishery reforms). Montreux listing can trigger Ramsar Advisory Missions and priority action.

National Rules and Institutions

• Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017: Under EPA 1986; create State/UT Wetland Authorities; mandate identification, delineation, and notification with core/buffer zonation; ban reclamation, solid waste dumping, and new industries; regulate other activities via wise-use plans. Rivers and paddy fields are excluded unless notified.
• NPCA: National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems funds priority wetlands/lakes (merged NLCP + NWCP).
• National Wetland Inventory: ISRO/NRSC mapping (2+ lakh wetlands) provides baselines; should feed into land records and planning.
• Other laws: CRZ protects coastal wetlands/mangroves; Wildlife (Protection) Act applies where sites are PAs; Forest (Conservation) Act and FRA matter for mangroves/forest wetlands; Water Act covers effluent standards.

Threats and Pressures

• Encroachment and land use change: Urban sprawl, real estate, agriculture expansion fill or drain wetlands.
• Hydrological alteration: Dams, barrages, diversions, and siltation change inflow/outflow and depth; regulation of upstream flows critical (Keoladeo/Loktak cases).
• Pollution: Sewage, industrial effluents, solid waste dumping lead to eutrophication and fish kills.
• Invasive species: Water hyacinth, Prosopis, carp; degrade habitat quality and oxygen levels.
• Over-extraction: Sand mining, excessive groundwater pumping, unsustainable fishing.
• Climate change: Sea-level rise and salinity shifts for coastal wetlands; altered rainfall for inland systems; coral bleaching for reef-associated sites.

Wise Use and Management

• Hydrology first: Restore inflow/outflow, desilt judiciously, reopen channels; maintain environmental flows in riverine wetlands.
• Pollution control: Sewage interception and treatment, industrial compliance, buffer vegetation strips to filter runoff.
• Catchment care: Soil and moisture conservation, afforestation with native species, check dams to reduce silt.
• Invasive control: Mechanical/biological removal of hyacinth with nutrient reduction; quarantine measures in islands.
• Community co-management: Fisher cooperatives, eco-tourism guidelines, benefit-sharing, and recognition of traditional rights to align livelihoods with conservation.
• Monitoring: Track water quality (DO, BOD, nutrients, salinity), bird/fish counts, vegetation change; update ecological character descriptions regularly.

Urban Wetlands

Urban lakes and marshes are often seen as real estate. Filling and severing drains lead to floods and heat buildup. Protection needs notification, buffer zoning, open inflow/outflow channels (not full concretisation), sewage treatment, and public access that builds stewardship. Jakkur (Bengaluru) shows how STP-polished water plus community management can revive a lake; Pallikaranai shows legal protection can slow encroachment.

Coastal and Island Systems

Mangroves, mudflats, coral reefs, and seagrass beds provide storm-surge buffering and fisheries. CRZ norms and proper siting of ports/tourism are essential. In islands, biosecurity against rats/cats and ballast biofouling is as important as habitat protection. Freshwater scarcity on small islands demands careful zoning and limits on intensive tourism.

Disaster Risk Reduction

Wetlands reduce flood peaks, provide cyclone buffers (mangroves), and sustain baseflows during droughts. Integrating them into city master plans, river basin plans, and coastal zone management makes disaster management cheaper and more effective. Removing wetlands converts free protection into costly infrastructure needs.

Community and Livelihoods

• Fisheries, reed/lotus harvesting, grazing, and tourism rely on healthy wetlands; blanket bans without alternatives breed conflict.
• Customary knowledge (tank cascades in South India, sustainable fish–sewage loops in East Kolkata) offers practical designs for “wise use.”
• Women’s groups often lead mangrove planting, eco-tourism, and waste management; inclusion improves compliance and equity.

Case Studies

• Chilika recovery: Dredging outer channel restored salinity, improved fisheries; removal from Montreux in 2002—first in Asia.
• East Kolkata Wetlands: Ramsar site that treats city sewage through fish ponds; protected land use maintains both ecology and livelihoods.
• Loktak: Ithai barrage altered water levels; phumdi thinning harms Sangai habitat—highlights need for flow management and invasive control.
• Sambhar: Over-extraction and illegal salt pans reduced water; flamingo deaths underline hydrology and pollution links.
• Pallikaranai: Court intervention curbed dumping; ongoing restoration shows urban marsh value for flood buffering.

Financing and Incentives

• NPCA grants, CSR for restoration, convergence with AMRUT/Smart Cities for lake rejuvenation, MGNREGA for desilting/planting.
• Payment for ecosystem services pilots: upstream farmers compensated for practices that protect downstream wetlands.
• Tourism revenues can fund management if capped and shared; unchecked tourism degrades sites.

Monitoring and Indicators

• Area and depth stability, water quality, invasive cover, keystone species trends (flagship birds/fish), and livelihoods supported.
• Ecological Character Descriptions (Ramsar Information Sheets) should be updated to flag changes early.
• Citizen science (Asian Waterbird Census) supplements official counts; needs validation but builds ownership.

Policy Debates to Track

• How strictly to regulate activities like aquaculture/salt pans inside notified wetlands; balancing livelihoods with ecology.
• Integrating wetland maps into land records/master plans to prevent stealth encroachment.
• Ensuring FRA/community rights are recognised in mangrove/forest wetlands—rights and conservation can align if planned.
• Managing multiple designations (Ramsar, WHS, PA) without bureaucratic confusion; clarity of authority matters.

Climate Links: Blue Carbon and Adaptation

Mangroves, seagrass, and saltmarsh store large carbon stocks; protecting them avoids emissions and aids adaptation. Peat bogs in hills store carbon; drainage causes fires and emissions (global examples like Indonesia show the risk). Wetland restoration is a nature-based solution that aligns mitigation and adaptation if tenure and benefits are clear.

Steps to Restore a Wetland (Practical Sequence)

1. Diagnose hydrology, pollution, biodiversity, and livelihoods.
2. Secure boundaries; stop encroachment (legal and physical demarcation).
3. Restore hydrology: reopen channels, desilt carefully, ensure environmental flows.
4. Stop sewage/effluents and solid waste; add buffers.
5. Remove invasives; replant native macrophytes; create shallow-littoral zones.
6. Co-manage with communities; regulate tourism; monitor indicators and adapt.

What to Update Before Using

• Current count of Ramsar sites and total area; any new Montreux changes.
• State-wise leaders in site numbers (UP/TN have led recently).
• Recent Ramsar COP themes (urban wetlands, peatlands, blue carbon).
• Live coral cover and mangrove extent data for coastal sites; water quality for major inland lakes.

Takeaway: Ramsar status signals importance, but ecological health depends on hydrology, pollution control, community stewardship, and consistent enforcement of national rules. Wetlands are critical infrastructure for water, climate, and livelihoods—protecting them is cheaper and smarter than replacing their services after they are lost.

Montreux Exit Strategy (What Works)

• Scientific diagnostic of stressors (hydrology, pollution, encroachment) and a time-bound restoration plan.
• Ramsar Advisory Missions can guide actions; transparent follow-up builds trust.
• Hydrological fixes (flow releases, dredging where appropriate) paired with pollution control and community agreements on wise use.
• Document recovery indicators (water quality, flagship species, invasive reduction) and report to the Secretariat.

Integrating Wetlands into Planning

• Include wetland layers in master plans, land records, and infrastructure routing to prevent accidental approval of projects on wetlands.
• Setbacks/buffer zones with native vegetation filter runoff and keep space for flood storage.
• Urban design should keep inlets/outlets open—fully concretised lakes lose ecological function and flood capacity.

Citizen and Youth Engagement

• Bird festivals, wetland walks, and signage in local languages build pride and awareness.
• Citizen reporting of dumping/encroachment through portals/helplines; response protocols must be clear.
• School curricula can include local wetland projects—water testing, bird counts, invasive removal drives (supervised).

Women’s Leadership

Women’s self-help groups often lead mangrove planting, eco-tourism services, and waste segregation in wetland villages. Ensuring their participation in wetland authorities and benefit-sharing arrangements improves compliance and equity.

Blue Economy and Caution

Fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism in wetlands can drive growth, but over-intensification harms ecological character. “Blue economy” initiatives must respect carrying capacity, avoid mangrove/reef destruction, and manage waste. Small, community-run operations usually have better compliance and local buy-in than large speculative projects.

Data and Monitoring Gaps

• Regular bathymetry and water quality data are missing for many lakes/estuaries; without baselines, degradation goes unnoticed.
• Invasive spread mapping and control effectiveness need better tracking.
• Socio-economic data on livelihoods from wetlands are thin—hard to design compensation/benefit-sharing without it.
• Coral reef and seagrass monitoring around islands remains sparse; climate impacts require consistent long-term datasets.

Financing Gaps and Opportunities

• Many urban wetland projects fund beautification but ignore hydrology/ ecology; financing should prioritise sewage interception, buffer restoration, and community management.
• Green/blue bonds could fund wetland restoration if backed by clear revenue (e.g., water user fees) and measurable outcomes.
• Corporate CSR should align with site management plans, not ad-hoc structures that reduce wetland area.

Enforcement and Governance Challenges

• Overlapping mandates (revenue, irrigation, urban bodies) create gaps; strong Wetland Authorities with clear convening power help.
• Illegal sand/mineral extraction and real estate encroachment continue despite orders; need joint enforcement drives and swift penalties.
• Without integration into land records, notified wetlands remain vulnerable to “paper erosion” through plot-by-plot conversions.

Role of Traditional and Customary Systems

Many wetlands survive due to community norms—sacred tanks, customary fishing rotations, community-managed mangrove belts. Recognising and supporting these systems through co-management agreements often works better than purely top-down bans.

High-altitude Wetlands

Lakes like Tso Moriri or Chandertal are fragile, with slow recovery rates. Tourism and military activity must manage waste, avoid shore trampling, and prevent fuel spills. These wetlands are crucial for migratory birds and as water sources in arid mountains; climate change could alter inflows and freeze–thaw cycles.

Wetlands and Agriculture

Floodplain farming benefits from nutrient-rich silt, but levees and drainage sever wetland–river links. Fertilizer and pesticide runoff drive eutrophication and fish kills. Riparian buffer strips and precision/organic farming near wetlands reduce nutrient loads. In coastal zones, shrimp farming should avoid mangrove clearance and salinity intrusion.

Tourism Management

• Zoning: strict conservation zones vs controlled tourism zones; limit boats/speed; boardwalks to avoid trampling.
• Waste and noise control: ban single-use plastics; manage sewage from houseboats/hotels; enforce quiet near bird colonies.
• Local guides and community enterprises improve compliance and spread benefits.

Climate-proofing Wetlands

• Plan for sea-level rise: allow landward migration of mangroves, avoid hard embankments that squeeze wetlands.
• Maintain environmental flows to counter altered rainfall; diversify water sources for urban wetlands beyond stormwater where feasible.
• Protect and restore peat/marsh soils to keep carbon locked and maintain moisture during droughts.

State-wise Highlights

• Uttar Pradesh: Many floodplain wetlands (Haiderpur, Nawabganj); focus on Ganga/tributary flow management and pollution control.
• Tamil Nadu: Mix of coastal mangroves (Pichavaram), bird sanctuaries (Koonthankulam), and urban marsh (Pallikaranai); saltwater intrusion and urban pressure are key issues.
• Maharashtra: Lonar crater lake (unique soda lake), Thane creek flamingo sanctuary; industrial/urban interface needs careful regulation.
• Assam: Deepor Beel as elephant corridor and flood buffer; waste dumping and encroachment are major threats.

Common Misconceptions

• Ramsar listing itself does not automatically provide legal protection—national rules do.
• Wetlands are not “wastelands”; drainage usually increases flood risk and water treatment costs.
• All lakes are not Ramsar sites; only designated ones are. Montreux is a Ramsar list, not IUCN.

Metrics of Success

• Stable or expanding water spread and depth within natural range.
• Improved water quality (DO up, nutrients and BOD down); reduced invasive cover.
• Return/increase of indicator species (flagship birds/fish) and livelihoods sustained legally.
• Functioning governance: regular Wetland Authority meetings, updated management plans, enforcement actions recorded.

Practical Steps for Local Stakeholders

• Stop solid waste dumping; set up segregation and collection points.
• Maintain feeder channels; avoid blocking inlets/outlets during construction.
• Plant native buffers, not ornamental invasives; control hyacinth with nutrient reduction.
• Use low-impact tourism (non-motorised boats where possible), follow zonation, and manage visitor waste.

Future Priorities

• Complete notification and integration of wetlands into land records to prevent stealth conversion.
• Scale up urban wetland protection as climate adaptation infrastructure.
• Secure environmental flows in river systems to sustain floodplain wetlands; factor wetlands into dam operation rules.
• Embed community co-management and benefit-sharing to align livelihoods with conservation.

Before using: refresh the current Ramsar site count, any changes to Montreux entries, and live data on key sites (water quality, mangrove/coral cover). Local context and latest numbers make wetland answers credible.

International Cooperation

India sits on the Central Asian Flyway; many migratory birds depend on a chain of wetlands across countries. Cooperation under Ramsar and the Convention on Migratory Species helps coordinate protection along flyways. Sharing restoration practices (e.g., Chilika recovery, community mangrove management) with neighbours can raise ambition and funding for wetlands across the region.

Quick Facts to Recall

• Ramsar date: 1971; World Wetlands Day: 2 February.
• Criteria 5 and 6: 20,000 birds and 1% population thresholds.
• India’s current Ramsar count: 80+ (update), first sites Chilika and Keoladeo, Montreux entries Keoladeo and Loktak.
• Wetlands Rules 2017 create State Authorities; “wise use” is the guiding principle.