Ramsar Sites
♦ Chhari Dhand in Gujarat and Patna Bird Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh have been recognised as Ramsar sites. This was confirmed by the official handle of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India on 31 January 2026. The designation of these two sites under the Ramsar Convention takes the total number of such wetlands in India to 98. ♦ India’s Ramsar network has grown by over 276%—from 26 sites in 2014 to 98 today (as on 31 JAnuary 2026). ♦ The Ramsar Convention, also referred to as the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, is an international treaty on the conservation of wetlands and their sustainable use. The convention was adopted in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. India signed the Ramsar Convention in 1982.