Nal, Little Rann to enter world list

GANDHINAGAR: Two of the Gujarat''s most important wetland sanctuaries Nal Sarovar Birds'' Sanctuary and the Wild Ass Sanctuary in the Little Rann of Kutch will soon enter the list of world''s most important wetland ecosystems.
Ramsar Bureau that recognises the important eco-systems world over, is expected to soon announce inclusion of these two wetlands in the select list of Ramsar sites.
"The Government of India has recommended to the Ramsar Bureau to include both these places in the list of Ramsar sites which include world''s most important wetlands and related eco-systems," said joint secretary of the ministry of environment and forests DD Verma.
Verma was in Gandhinagar to attend a workshop on wetlands organised by the Gujarat Ecological Education and Research Foundation (GEER). He announced there that the environment ministry is actively pursuing the matter with the Ramsar Bureau.
He told TNN that after inclusion in the Ramsar list, both the sanctuaries will not only gain global attention but also get funds, technical expertise and other benefits which will go a long way in their conservation and habitat improvement.
It was in 1971 that 127 countries including India became signatories of an international treaty at the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, held at Ramsar in Iran. The treaty provides "framework for national action and international cooperation for conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources."
The Convention defines wetlands as "...areas of marsh, fen, peatland, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters."
Gujarat has country''s largest wetland area - with over 27.17 lakh hectares of land being wetlands. The Ramsar Site list includes 1,085 wetlands sites world over, covering 82.2 million hectares of area.
Currently six wetland areas from India have been listed as the Ramsar Wetland sites. they include Chilika in Orissa, Keoladeo Ghana Bird''s Sanctuary (Bharatpur) and Sambhar in Rajasthan, Harike in Punjab, Loktak in Manipur and Wular in J&K. "Indications are that even some areas of the Great Rann of Kutch may also be included," said principal chief conservator of forests Gujarat, ML Sharma.
Environment minister Mangubhai Patel said, "Gujarat is important from the angle of the wetlands and I am happy that the sites have been selected. The state will also think seriously on this issue and consider their development."