Page 67 - Mann Ki Baat January, 2023
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and rich biodiversity they as carbon dioxide sinks and
support. They play major roles climate stabilizers on a global
in the landscape by providing scale.
unique habitats for a wide With so many services
variety of flora and fauna such offered to humans and the
as waterfowls, crocodiles and environment, it is only natural
turtles. Several rare, endangered to protect and preserve these
and threatened species like wetlands for future generations.
tigers in Sunderbans, Irrawaddy Hence a convention was
dolphins in Chilika lagoon, established in 1971 by UNESCO
Gangetic river dolphins in Ganga in the city of Ramsar, Iran that
and Brahmaputra rivers, Manipur came to be known as the
brow antler deer in Keibul Wetland Convention. The Mission
Lamjao National Park, Swap deer of the Wetland Convention is
in Gangetic and Brahmaputra “the conservation and wise
floodplains, three species of use of all wetlands through
otters, three crocodilian species local and national actions and
of India, several freshwater international cooperation, as a
turtles, rare and threatened contribution towards achieving
birds like black-necked cranes sustainable development
in Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh & throughout the world”. India
Sikkim, White winged wood duck became a member of the
in Assam, Sarus crane and Indian convention on February 1, 1982 as
skimmer in Gangetic flood plains, a sign of its commitment to the
colonial nesting waterbirds, and conservation of biodiversity and
many other fishes, amphibian natural resource. The number of
and reptile species calls wetland Ramsar sites between 1982 and
as their home. 2013 was only 26. Still, in the past
Apart from these, now the recent years, the Government
wetlands are described by some of India has made initiatives to
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