Will deepen commitment to protect nature: PM as India gets new Ramsar sites

With 10 more Indian wetlands being designated as Ramsar sites, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said this will deepen people's commitment to protect natural surroundings.

The new sites six in Tamil Nadu and one each in Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha cover an area of 12,50,361 hectares in the country. The number of wetlands of international importance in India now stands at 64.

The Ramsar list aims at "developing and maintaining an international network of wetlands, which are important for the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life, through the maintenance of their ecosystem components, processes and benefits".

"Every environment lover will feel happy that 10 more wetlands in India have been designated as Ramsar sites. Last month, 5 sites achieved the same recognition. This will deepen our commitment to protect our natural surroundings," Modi tweeted.

India and China now have the most number of wetlands of international importance, the Union Environment Ministry said on Wednesday.