Ramsar sites: Sukhna Wetland, Sauj Jheel added; India’s tally reaches 103
Why in the news
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced on 15 October 2026 that Sukhna Wetland (Chandigarh) and Sauj Jheel (Uttar Pradesh) have been designated Ramsar sites, raising India’s tally to 103.
Key facts
- Sukhna Wetland: Chandigarh’s first Ramsar site, listed as Site No. 2602 by the Ramsar Secretariat.
- Origin: a rain-fed reservoir created in 1958 at the foothills of the Outer Himalayas, fed by seasonal streams from the Shivalik hills.
- Species: common pochard (vulnerable), Pallas’s fish eagle (endangered) and black pond turtle (endangered).
- Flyway: migratory birds reach it along the Central Asian Flyway; it adjoins the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Sauj Jheel: in Mainpuri district, part of the Saman wetland complex beside the Karhal-Kishni road.
| Milestone | India’s Ramsar count |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 26 |
| Shekha Jheel (UP), April 2026 | 99 |
| Glaw Lake (Arunachal Pradesh), August 2026 | 101 |
| Sukhna and Sauj Jheel, October 2026 | 103 |
About the Ramsar Convention
The Convention on Wetlands was adopted in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. Sites on its list are called Wetlands of International Importance. Listing brings global attention, scientific oversight, technical help and scope for eco-tourism and education. Sukhna’s case shows why protection matters: by 1988 the lake had lost 66% of its original storage capacity to silt.
Exam angle
- Total Ramsar sites in India: 103 (October 2026).
- Sukhna is Chandigarh’s first Ramsar site.
- Ramsar Convention: 1971, Ramsar, Iran.