3 from Tamil Nadu, 2 others added to Ramsar list

CHENNAI: Five more Indian sites -- three from Tamil Nadu and one each from Mizoram and Madhya Pradesh -- have been recognised as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, taking the number of such sites in the country to 54, the Union Environment Ministry said on Tuesday.

Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest and Pichavaram Mangrove in Tamil Nadu, Sakhya Sagar in Madhya Pradesh and Pala Wetland in Mizoram have made it to the coveted list.

The Karikili Bird Sanctuary is situated in the Kancheepuram district and is well-known for cormorants, egrets, grey heron, darter, spoonbill, grey pelican, white ilbis and night heron. The Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest is one of the last remaining natural wetlands of Chennai located adjacent to the Bay of Bengal. The Pichavaram Mangrove is the second largest mangrove forest in the world covering about 1,100 hectare of area. It is separated from the Bay of Bengal by a sandbar.

Sakhya Sagar is located in the Madhav National Park in Shivpuri district of MP. It has an abundant population of marsh crocodiles. Pala wetland is the largest natural wetland in Mizoram and is spread across 1,850 hectares. The aim of the Ramsar list is “to develop and maintain an international network of wetlands, which are important for the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life, through the maintenance of their ecosystem components, processes and benefits”. Chief Minister MK Stalin tweeted, “With Pallikaranai marshland, Pichavaram mangroves and Karikili bird sanctuary now being recognised as new Ramsar sites - the most prestigious international recognition for wetlands - TN now has four Ramsar sites including Kodiakkarai. I congratulate TN Forest Dept on this milestone.”