THE RAMSAR CONVENTION AND ITS MISSION The Convention’s mission is ―the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world‖. Wetlands are among the most diverse and productive ecosystems. They provide essential services and supply all our fresh water. However they continue to be degraded and converted to other uses. The Convention uses a broad definition of wetlands. It includes all lakes and rivers, underground aquifers, swamps and marshes, wet grasslands, peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, mangroves and other coastal areas, coral reefs, and all human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs and salt pans. Under the ―three pillars‖ of the Convention, the Contracting Parties commit to: work towards the wise use of all their wetlands; designate suitable wetlands for the list of Wetlands of International Importance (the ―Ramsar List‖) and ensure their effective management; cooperate internationally on transboundary wetlands, shared wetland systems and shared species. Ramsar sites in India, compiled state wise. A. Jammu & Kashmir J & K has the highest number of Ramsar sites in India. There are 4 Ramsar sites in J & K. The reason is clear, due to its glacial topography; water-lands remain even at high altitudes. 1. Wular Lake- the largest freshwater lake in India. Jhelum flows through it. The Tulbul project is on this river. The lake basin was formed as a result of tectonic activity and is fed by the Jhelum River. In ancient times called Mahapadamsar. Nilamata Purana also mentions it as 'Mahapadmasaras'. Mahapadamsar is referred as Bolor by Al-Biruni {960-1031 AD}. gives rise to high leaping waves in the afternoons, called Ullola in Sanskrit; meaning stormy leaping, high rising waves being called 'Ullola'. an important fish habitat, the main species being the common carp , rosy barb , mosquitofish , Nemacheilus species, Crossocheilus latius, and various snowtrout species in the genera Schizopyge and Schizothorax. Snowtrout species identified in the lake include the Sattar snowtrout , Chirruh snowtrout , Schizothorax planifrons, Schizothorax macropogon, Schizothorax longipinus and Chush snowtrout . Terrestrial birds observed around the lake include the black-eared kite, Eurasian sparrowhawk, short-toed eagle, Himalayan golden eagle, Himalayan monal, chukar RAJESH NAYAK partridge, koklass pheasant, rock dove,common cuckoo, alpine swift, Indian roller, Himalayan woodpecker, hoopoe, barn swallow, golden oriole and others. The Tulbul Project is a "navigation lock-cum-control structure" at the mouth of Wular Lake. There has been an ongoing dispute between India and Pakistan over the Tulbul Project since 1987, when Pakistan objected that it violated the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. India stopped work on the project that year, but has since pressed to restart construction. 2. Tso moriri- the largest of the high altitude lakes in the Trans-Himalayan biogeographic region, entirely within India. sits between Ladakh, India to the North, Tibet to the east, and Zanskar in the west. The place is heaven on earth. a lake in the Ladakhi part of the Changthang Plateau (literally: northern plains) in Jammu and Kashmir in northern India. the largest of the high altitude lakes entirely within India and entirely within Ladakh in this Trans-Himalayan biogeographic region. The official name of the land and water reserve here is the Tso Moriri Wetland Conservation Reserve. fed by springs and snow-melt from neighboring mountains. Most water enters the lake in two major stream systems, one entering the lake from the north, the other from the southwest. Both stream systems include extensive marshes where they enter the lake. It formerly had an outlet to the south, but this has become blocked and the lake has become a endorheic lake. The lake is oligotrophic in nature, and its waters are alkaline. there are four groups and Tso Moriri falls under the third group of ―remnant lakes". The classification as reported states. (i) Glacial lakes which are formed in and around glaciers; (ii) Structural lakes, formed by folds or faults due to movements in earth’s crust (e.g. Nainitallake in Uttarakhand), (iii) Remnant lakes which were originally structural but represent the remnants of vast lakes (e.g., Tso Moriri, Tso Kar, Pangong Tso in Ladakh, and Dal Lake in Kashmir), (iv) Natural dammed lakes i.e., temporary water bodies formed along the river courses due to deposition of rocks or debris e.g. Gohna Tal in Garhwal, Uttarakhand. The Changthang Plateau in the eastern Ladakh represents a landscape of low productive ecosystems which protects unique floral and faunal species. ―Changpas", the nomadic migratory shepherds (pastoral community) of yak, sheep, goat, and horses of Tibetan origin and who are engaged in trade and work on caravans in Ladakh region, are the main inhabitants of the area. The Korzok Monastery, on the western bank of the lake is 400 years old and attracts tourists and Buddhist pilgrims. On the south, a nearly flat valley connects with but does not drain into or out of the Pare Chu (river.) RAJESH NAYAK Geologically the lake is in Ordovician rock. Fauna and Flora Avifauna Thirty-four species of birds included 14 species of water birds (some are pictured in the gallery) of which following are the vulnerable species Black-necked cranes endangered. Bar-headed geese – only breeding ground in India Brown-headed gulls Great crested grebe (rare) Ferruginous pochard Black-necked grebe (rare) Mammals Tibetan gazelle, Procapra picticaudata, Goa antelope (threatened) Lynx Nayan Ovis ammon hodgsoni Bharal Himalayan blue sheep Tibetan Ass or Equus kiang, endemic to the Tibetan Plateau Great Tibetan Sheep One species of marmot, Marmota himalayana in large numbers seen on the hill slopes surrounding the lake and also along the roadsides One species of hare, Lepus oistolus One species of vole, Alticola roylei Three species of mouse hares, Ochotona macrotis, Ochotona curzoniae or Tibetan sand fox and Scincella ladacensis Large carnivores Carnivores fauna reported are: the snow leopard (Uncia uncia) the Tibetan wolf (Canis lupus chanco) Ramsar site notified in November 2002 under the List of Ramsar Wetland sites under the Ramsar Convention. 3. Hokersar Wetland- a wetland situated near Srinagar. Thousands of migratory birds come to Hokersar from Siberia and other regions in the winter season. Migratory birds from Siberia and Central Asia use wetlands in Kashmir as their transitory camps. Date of Declaration: 08/11/05. RAJESH NAYAK Located at the northwest Himalayan biogeopgraphic province of Kashmir, back of the snow- draped Pir Panchal only 10 km from scenic paradise of Srinagar. the only site with remaining reedbeds of Kashmir and pathway of 68 waterfowl species like Large Egret, Great Crested Grebe, Little Cormorant, Common Shelduck, Tufted Duck and endangered White-eyed Pochard, coming from Siberia, China, Central Asia, and Northern Europe. an important source of food, spawning ground and nursery for fishes, besides offering feeding and breeding ground to a variety of water birds. Typical marshy vegetation complexes inhabit like Typha, Phragmites, Eleocharis, Trapa, and Nymphoides species ranging from shallow water to open water aquatic flora. 4. Surinsar-Mansar Lakes- a beautiful lake fringed by forest-covered hills, over a mile in length by half-a-mile in width. also a holy site, sharing the legend and sanctity of Lake Mansarovar. Freshwater composite lake in semi-arid Panjab Plains, adjoining the Jhelum Basin with catchment of sandy conglomeratic soil, boulders and pebbles. Surinsar is rain-fed without permanent discharge, and Mansar is primarily fed by surface run-off and partially by mineralised water through paddy fields, with inflow increasing in rainy season. The lake supports CITES and IUCN Red listed Lissemys punctata, Aspideretes gangeticus, and Mansariella lacustris. an attractive habitat, breeding and nursery ground for migratory waterfowls like Fulica atra, Gallinula chloropus, Podiceps nigricollis, Aythya fuligula, and various Anas species. mythical origin from the Mahabharata period. B. Himachal Pradesh 1. Pong Dam Lake- Maharana Pratap Sagar in India, also known as Pong Reservoir or Pong Dam Lake was created in 1975, by building the highest earthfill dam in India on the Beas River in the wetland zone of theSiwalik Hills of the Kangra district of the state of Himachal Pradesh. Named in the honour of Maharana Pratap (1572–1597), the reservoir or the lake is a well-known wildlife sanctuary and one of the 25 international wetland sites declared in India by the Ramsar Convention. The Pong Reservoir and Gobindsagar Reservoir are the two most important fishing reservoirs in the Himalayan foothills of Himachal Pradesh. The reservoir is bounded by the rugged Dhauladhar mountain range, the low foothills of the Himalaya on the northern edge of the Indo-Gangetic plains, and the mountain streams cutting through valleys. The Beas River, on which the Pong Dam is located, is one of the five major rivers of the Indus basin. The river flows from the Beas Kund near Rohtang Pass, in the upper Himalayas, and traverses generally in a north-south direction until Largi, from where it turns sharply at nearly a right angle and flows in a westerly direction up to the Pong Dam. RAJESH NAYAK Subsequent to the partition of India, the waters of the Indus river system were allocated river wise, with certain stipulations, as per the Indus Water Treaty (1960), between India and Pakistan. India got exclusive use of the three eastern rivers (the Ravi, the Beas and the Satluj) and Pakistan got the exclusive use of the three western rivers (the Indus, the Jhelum and the Chenab). Following this treaty, India prepared a master plan to utilize the waters of 3 rivers which came to its share. and the Bhakra Dam was constructed across Satluj River. Then, the Beas River was tapped in two stages, with the Pong Dam forming the second stage development.