Sikkim wants RAMSAR inclusion of its wetlands
With this in mind, "We are persuading to get our three wetland complexes into the Ramsar List," said Sikkim CM Mr. Pawan Chamling. The state Forest Department first proposed for the inclusion in 2004. Without any positive outcome so far, the state is going to reinitiate the matter.
The global 'Ramsar Convention on Wetlands' was first signed in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar to provide framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and better use of wetlands and their resources. Presently there are over 165 signatories covering over 2118 sites around the world with more than 20 Crore ha wetland area.
These three wetlands of Sikkim were, Khecheopari Lake in West Sikkim, The Tsomgo-Kupup and Gnathang Complex in East Sikkim and Tso Lhamu- Guru Dongmar - Gyam Tso-na Complex in North Sikkim.
"Educational, hobby, or eco-tourism are the fastest growing fields in tourism sector. As a rare example, Sikkim has its bio diversity spread across the five climatic zones within state boundary. Ramsar inclusion would showcase this uniqueness in international level increasing inflow of these special interest group of tourists in addition to ornithologists or avi-fauna observers significantly," opined Mr. R. Basu, veteran tour operator. The same was echoed by many senior members of eastern Himalayan Tour and Travel Operators Association.
India at present have 26 Ramsar listed sites. Out of these, Upper Ganga River in UP, Surinsar Mansar Lakes and Hokera Wetland in J&K, Rudrasagar Lake in Tripura, Renuka Wetland in HP, have been included after 2004 through the Conservation Division, Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests, Indian part of Ramsar Administrative Authority.
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