Green carpet for winged visitors: Aligarh’s Shekha Jheel is UP’s 12th Ramsar site, India’s 99th

LUCKNOW In a major boost to India’s environmental conservation efforts, the Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary in UP’s Aligarh has been designated as a Ramsar site. The announcement marks a significant milestone for Uttar Pradesh, bringing the state’s total number of Wetlands of International Importance to 12, next to Tamil Nadu (with 20 sites) while elevating India’s national tally to 99.

Within its waters and marshes, 62 wetland-dependent species thrive, making it a high-priority zone for ecological preservation. Beyond wildlife, the lake plays a crucial role in maintaining regional groundwater levels and providing a natural buffer against climate instability.

Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, an environmental treaty established in 1971. The convention is one of the first modern treaties between nations for conserving natural resources. It aims to stop the loss of wetlands globally and to conserve them through wise use and management.

The designation recognises Shekha Jheel as a premier habitat for avian life. The sanctuary’s unique ecosystem is home to a staggering array of biodiversity, providing a vital pitstop for species travelling along the Central Asian Flyway. It is a habitat for migratory birds such as the Bar-headed Goose, Painted Stork and various ducks during winter.

CM Office, UP, in a post on X, shared: “With a focus on sustainability, security and sustainable growth, new Uttar Pradesh is setting new standards of balanced and inclusive development.”

“Its is a major achievement for the state. Multifaceted work is needed to get a Ramsar Site declared. We are now next to only Tamil Nadu in the country,” said Arun K Saxena, UP forest, environment and climate change minister.

The Ramsar status is expected to transform the local landscape in Aligarh by attracting birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts from across the globe, creating new economic opportunities for local communities through sustainable tourism and conservation-related jobs and providing a living laboratory for ornithologists and environmental scientists to study migratory patterns.

Wetlands in UP include the Upper Ganga River (located across districts of Hapur, Bulandshahr, Sambhal and Amroha), Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary (Unnao), Sarsai Nawar Lake (Etawah), Samaspur Bird Sanctuary (Rae Bareli), Sandi Bird Sanctuary (Hardoi), Saman Bird Sanctuary (Mainpuri), Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary (Gonda), Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary (Agra), Haiderpur Wetland (Muzaffarnagar), Bakhira Bird Sanctuary (Sant Kabir Nagar), Patna Bird Sanctuary (Etah district) and now Shekha Lake Bird Sanctuary (Aligarh).

The total area of all these Ramsar sites in UP is 39,91,4.27 hectares, which constitutes approximately 3.21% of the state’s total wetland area of 12,42,530 hectares (according to the National Wetland Atlas). Wetlands serve as sinks of carbon and in the event of extreme weather they control floods.

Patna Vihar Bird Sanctuary, declared Ramsar Site in February, is a protected sanctuary spread over an area of 108 hectares and was founded in 1991. It is the smallest bird sanctuary in UP, with a wetland area of only 1km sq. About 2,00,000 birds of 300 different species of birds frequent the sanctuary.

Ramsar sites are selected based on their international significance regarding ecology, botany, zoology, limnology, or hydrology. Applicant countries designate sites that meet at least one of nine criteria, such as supporting vulnerable species, maintaining biodiversity.