Borjuli Wetland Notified as Assam’s Third Heritage Site
Why in the news
Assam notified the tiny Borjuli wetland in Sonitpur as a Biodiversity Heritage Site, on the Assam State Biodiversity Board’s recommendation and with National Biodiversity Authority recognition. It is the first such site in India created specially to protect wild rice.
Key facts
- Location: Sonitpur district, Assam; area just 0.41 hectare.
- Rank: India’s 55th BHS (as of 3 July 2026) and Assam’s third, after Majuli and Hajong Tortoise Lake.
- Star species: Oryza rufipogon, progenitor of Oryza sativa.
- Project: in-situ conservation of wild rice, funded by NRAA from 2022, run by ICAR-NBPGR with the state board.
Assam’s Biodiversity Heritage Sites
| Site | Note |
|---|---|
| Majuli | World’s largest inhabited river island, about 875 sq km |
| Hajong Tortoise Lake | Keeps rare freshwater tortoises safe |
| Borjuli wetland | Wild rice site; the third in Assam |
About the wetland and the wild rice
- Freshwater swamp and marsh in the flood-prone Brahmaputra valley, fed by monsoon runoff and alluvial channels.
- Works as a gene sanctuary for crop wild relatives.
- Oryza rufipogon is a perennial native to marshes of eastern and southern Asia.
- Traits: resists disease and pests, tolerates flooding and saline water.
- Use: genes for climate-resilient, high-yielding and nutritious rice varieties.
About a Biodiversity Heritage Site
- Legal basis: Section 37, Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
- Notified by State Governments after consulting local Biodiversity Management Committees.
- Eligible areas: rich wild or domesticated biodiversity, crop wild relatives, rare wildlife, sacred groves, fossil beds and wetlands outside National Parks and Sanctuaries.
- Run by BMCs at local level, with guidance from the NBA.
About the NBA
- Set up in 2003 under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002; a statutory autonomous body.
- Headquarters: Chennai; parent ministry: Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
- Regulates access to biological resources and guides State Biodiversity Boards.
Exam angle
- Section 37 of the Biological Diversity Act is the BHS provision.
- Ancestor of cultivated rice: Oryza rufipogon.
- Funding agency in this case: National Rainfed Area Authority.