Lucknow: World Wetlands Day will be celebrated on 2 February. Before this, Uttar Pradesh has received a big gift. The Central Government has included Patna Bird Sanctuary (Eta) in Uttar Pradesh among the Ramsar sites. Earlier there were 10 Ramsar sites in UP, but with the addition of the name of Patna Bird Sanctuary, this number has increased to 11. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have congratulated Uttar Pradesh on this big achievement. Tamil Nadu has the highest number of Ramsar sites in the country, while Uttar Pradesh is at second place.

How big is Patna Bird Sanctuary?

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Patna Bird Sanctuary of Etah has now been included in the world map. Endangered species get protection here. Due to the continuous work being done after the year 2017, not only the biodiversity of the state but also the efforts for environmental protection have been strengthened. Patna Bird Sanctuary is spread over an area of ​​108.86 hectares. Its conservation capacity is more than one lakh water birds. A large number of migratory birds also arrive here in winter. This area was declared a sanctuary in 1990. It was named after Patna village of Jalesar tehsil of Etah district. It is a shelter for a total of 178 species of birds. 252 species of flora including aquatic plants are found here.

Refuge for more than 44 water birds

The place regularly conserves more than 1 per cent of the biogeographic population of over 44 water-bird species and four wetland bird species, Sarcidiornis melanotus, Anhinga melanogaster, Mareca strepera and Anser anser. In summer when most of the surrounding wetlands dry up completely, Patna Lake becomes a refuge for the Sarus crane (Grus antigone). The sanctuary is also home to animals like nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), jackal (Canis aureus), monitor lizard (Varanus bengalensis), jungle cat (Felis chaus), porcupine (Hystrix indica) etc. Many native species of flora are found here. The ancient temple of Lord Shiva located inside the Patna Bird Sanctuary is an important center of faith and pilgrimage.

Which 10 wetlands were there in UP

Till now there were 10 wetlands in Uttar Pradesh. Their names are Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary (Unnao), Parvati Arga (Gonda), Saman (Mainpuri), Samaspur (Rae Bareli), Sarsai Nawar Lake (Etawah), Sandi (Hardoi), Sur Sarovar (Agra), Bakhira (Santkabir Nagar), Upper Ganga River (from Brijghat to Narora, Bulandshahr) and Haiderpur Wetland (Muzaffarnagar).

CM Yogi Adityanath congratulated

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath posted his best wishes on this achievement on his social media account 'X'. The Chief Minister wrote that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's commitment towards environmental protection is continuously gaining global recognition. The inclusion of Patna Bird Sanctuary in Etah in Uttar Pradesh and Chhari-Dhand in Kutch in Gujarat as Ramsar sites reflects the journey of policy, conservation and promotion, where ecology and development move forward together. This international honor underlines India's resolve towards sustainable conservation, ecological balance and protection of biodiversity. Hearty congratulations to the people of Etah, Uttar Pradesh and all the stakeholders dedicated to wetland conservation.

Prime Minister Modi praised the achievement

While posting on this achievement on his social media account 'X', Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote that he is extremely happy on the declaration of Patna Bird Sanctuary in Etah and Chhari-Dhand in Kutch (Gujarat) as Ramsar sites. Hearty congratulations to the local people there and all the people dedicated to wetland conservation. These recognitions reaffirm our commitment to conserving biodiversity and protecting vital ecosystems. It is our hope that these wetlands continue to thrive as safe habitats for numerous migratory and native species.

Special event on Wetlands Day in UP

World Wetlands Day will be celebrated in Lalitpur on 2 February. It will be organized under the guidance of Yogi government. Forest Minister Dr. Arun Kumar Saxena said that this event will be organized at Mahavir Swami Wildlife Sanctuary in Devgarh, Lalitpur. This time the event will be held on the theme 'Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage'. Its mascot has been made Red Billed Vulture.