UT approves proposal to declare Sukhna wetland as Ramsar site

In a significant development, the State Wetland Authority of UT Chandigarh has approved a proposal regarding designating Sukhna wetland as a Ramsar site. This will be the first Ramsar site in Chandigarh. It will provide international recognition and will elevate the Sukhna Wetland’s global profile highlighting its ecological and cultural importance.

The proposal will now be forwarded to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), for necessary action in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Ramsar Secretariat.

The approval was granted during the fourth meeting of the State Wetland Authority held today under the chairmanship of Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria.

A Ramsar site is a wetland site of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, an Intergovernmental Treaty adopted in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. The convention came into force in India on February 1, 1982.

The primary aim of the convention is the conservation and wise use of wetlands through local, regional and national actions and international cooperation.

The wetland authority also considered and approved the five-year Integrated Management Plan for Sukhna Wetland, prepared by the Forest Department in consultation with World Wide Fund (WWF) and other departments concerned of the Chandigarh Administration. The Rs 22.5 crore plan outlines a series of activities for the protection, conservation and scientific management of the wetland.

The proposal will now be forwarded to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for funding under the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) Scheme.

The five-year plan includes several initiatives for the conservation and restoration of the lake such as maintaining its water level, preserving aquatic life and keeping the water body’s vicinity clean. Increasing facilities for tourists is also part of the plan. To prevent pollution, the number of solar-powered boats will be increased.

The Administrator directed all departments concerned to take a time-bound action for the protection, conservation and scientific management of Sukhna Lake as well as other water bodies across the Union Territory.

The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary-cum-Forest Secretary, senior officers of the Chandigarh Administration, and expert members from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, and the World Wide Fund (WWF).

The Sukhna wetland is spread over nearly 565 acres, with a catchment area of 10,395 acres. The lake was declared a national wetland by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests in 1988, emphasising the need for its conservation. The Sukhna wildlife sanctuary came up in the catchment area.