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Call for developing Harike Pattan as eco-tourism hub

World Wetlands Day
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The Harike Pattan wetland and bird sanctuary. File photo
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Environmentalists and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Punjab, emphasised the importance of preserving and promoting Harike Pattan, a unique ecological treasure spanning across Tarn Taran and Ferozepur districts, on World Wetlands Day. The theme for this year is “Protecting wetlands for our common future”.

Harike Pattan, a man-made wetland created in 1953 at the confluence of Beas and Satluj rivers, was designated as a Ramsar site in 1990 for its international significance.

INTACH Punjab convener Major General Balwinder Singh stressed the need to protect and develop the biodiversity hotspot.

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Spanning over 10,000 acres, Harike serves a dual role — acting as a water reservoir for irrigation and supporting a diverse range of ecosystems. It hosts around 200 species of birds, various fish, and even rare species such as Indus river dolphins, turtles, snakes, and amphibians. The wetland also plays a critical role as a stopover for migratory birds on the Central Asian Flyway. Over 90,000 migratory birds from regions, including Siberia, Eurasia, and Russia, visit the site every year.

Dr Baljit Kaur, convener of the Taran Taran chapter of INTACH, has invited schools, local residents, and nature enthusiasts from surrounding areas to visit Harike, hoping to turn it into a centre of ecological tourism. Maj Gen Singh called for greater attention from the government to develop infrastructure and promote ecotourism, similar to the famous Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan so that Harike can gain the recognition it deserves.

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