2 Feb celebrated as World Wetlands Day
World Wetlands Day is celebrated annually on February 2. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) in Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971.
The international theme for World Wetlands Day 2020 is ‘Wetlands and Biodiversity’.
Wetland biodiversity contributes to ecosystem resilience, clean water, water supply, storm protection, carbon storage, health and well-being, tourism and recreation and jobs. Biodiversity is a foundational value of wetlands and an inherent part of the significance of these ecosystems.
Now, India have total 37 Ramsar wetland sites including recently added 10 new wetland sites. These are Nandur Madhameshwar, a first for Maharashtra; Keshopur-Miani, Beas Conservation Reserve and Nangal in Punjab; and Nawabganj, Parvati Agra, Saman, Samaspur, Sandi and Sarsai Nawar in Uttar Pradesh. The other Ramsar sites are in Rajasthan, Kerala, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Tripura.
