Current Affairs · · Prelims · Environment

Chandigarh’s Sukhna joins Ramsar List as India reaches 103 sites

Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh have joined the Ramsar List, taking India’s total to 103. Sukhna, Chandigarh’s first Ramsar site, is a man-made reservoir at the Shivalik foothills and a habitat for migratory waterbirds. Its recognition draws attention to catchment siltation, habitat protection and the need for effective wetland management.

Event date:

REq1
  1. Context1 / 6
    • On 15 October 2026, India announced two new Ramsar sites: Sukhna Wetland (Chandigarh) and Sauj Jheel (Uttar Pradesh).
    • India's total rose to 103 Wetlands of International Importance.
    • Sukhna, numbered 2602 on the Ramsar List, is Chandigarh's first Ramsar site.
    • Sukhna is a human-made reservoir supporting resident birds and migratory waterbirds along the Central Asian Flyway.

    Why it matters: Urban wetlands help support biodiversity, regulate water flows and improve climate and water resilience.

  2. Key highlights2 / 6

    Sukhna Wetland: key facts

    FeatureSukhna Wetland
    LocationChandigarh, at the foothills of the Shivalik (Outer Himalayan) range
    OriginCreated in 1958 by damming the seasonal Sukhna Choe
    Wetland area in UT recordsAbout 565 acres; do not confuse with the wider catchment or the Ramsar-listed boundary
    Catchment areaAbout 10,395 acres, extending into neighbouring jurisdictions
    Earlier wetland notificationNotified by the Chandigarh Administration on 6 July 1988
    Nearby protected habitatSukhna Wildlife Sanctuary, notified in 1998, lies within the catchment
    Ecological importanceOpen water, shoreline vegetation, scrub and forest; waterbirds along the Central Asian Flyway

    Prelims distinction: The 565-acre wetland, its 10,395-acre catchment, the wildlife sanctuary, and the Ramsar registration boundary are not identical geographical units.

  3. Note3 / 6

    Why does Sukhna need protection?

    • Siltation: Soil eroded from the Shivalik catchment enters the lake and reduces its water-holding capacity.
    • Catchment disturbance: Development, drainage changes and pollution can affect inflows and water quality.
    • Bird habitats: Open water and adjoining vegetation need protection for breeding, resting and wintering waterbirds.
    • Court intervention: In March 2020, the Punjab and Haryana High Court described Sukhna as a living entity and issued catchment-protection directions. Implementation and related proceedings have faced subsequent review.
    • Management plan: The UT Wetland Authority approved a five-year plan of ₹22.5 crore for conservation and scientific management; approval is not proof of full funding or completion.
    • Eco-sensitive zones: Regulation around the adjoining sanctuary involves multiple jurisdictions; the Punjab-side notification was still reported pending in June 2026.

    Key lesson: Protecting the lake also requires protecting the land that drains into it.

  4. Key concepts4 / 6

    Ramsar Convention: key concepts

    TermMeaning for Prelims
    Ramsar ConventionInternational treaty adopted in 1971 at Ramsar, Iran, for conservation and wise use of wetlands.
    Wise useUsing and managing wetlands sustainably while maintaining their ecological character.
    Ramsar designationInternational recognition and conservation commitment; not automatic declaration of a national park or sanctuary under Indian law.
    Domestic wetland regulationIndia's Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 provide a legal management framework.
    Montreux RecordA register of Ramsar sites where ecological character has changed, is changing or may change, needing priority conservation attention.
    • The Convention came into force for India on 1 February 1982.
    • The Montreux Record includes Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) and Loktak Lake (Manipur) from India. Chilika Lake was removed from that record after restoration.

    Prelims takeaway: Ramsar designation does not close a wetland to every human activity. The principle is wise use, supported by applicable domestic law.

  5. Way forward5 / 6

    These are suggested measures, not announced new policy.

    • Control silt at its source: Strengthen soil conservation, check dams and catchment vegetation.
    • Coordinate across borders: Align land-use, pollution control and protected-area decisions across Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana.
    • Track ecological health: Regularly assess water quality, sediment loads, migratory birds and habitat changes.
    • Implement transparent management: Publish measurable conservation targets and progress against the approved plan.

    Final takeaway: Ramsar recognition draws attention to Sukhna, but lasting protection depends on effective catchment management and enforcement.

  6. Note6 / 6
    Lake
    Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh (X@moefcc)

Sources

Syllabus

PaperSubjectSub-topic
PrelimsEnvironmentRamsar Convention, Montreux Record, Indian Ramsar sites, biodiversity, wetland geography
GS3EnvironmentWetland conservation, biodiversity, ecosystem services, urban water security and environmental regulation

Topics

BiodiversityEnvironmental Laws, Conventions and PoliciesProtected Areas and Conservation

Related previous-year questions

Asked in earlier UPSC Prelims papers on this topic. Answer, then check.

  1. UPSC Prelims 2014 · Environment and Ecology · Protected Areas and Conservation

    Consider the following pairs: Wetlands : Confluence of rivers 1. Harike Wetlands : Confluence of Beas and Sutlej 2. Keoladeo Ghana National Park : Confluence of Banas and Chambal 3. Kolleru Lake : Confluence of Musi and Krishna Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 1 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Answer: A. VERDICT: The answer is 1 only. Harike is correctly placed at the Beas and Sutlej confluence, but the other two wetland pairings are wrong. ANALYSIS: Pair 1 is CORRECT. The Harike wetland in Punjab formed when a barrage was built across the confluence of the Beas and the Sutlej in 1952. Pair 2 is INCORRECT. Keoladeo Ghana National Park at Bharatpur is a man made wetland created by rulers of the princely state and fed by a canal from the Ajan bund; it is not at the confluence of the Banas and the Chambal. Pair 3 is INCORRECT. Kolleru Lake lies between the Krishna and Godavari deltas in Andhra Pradesh and is not at the Musi and Krishna confluence. SOURCE: Hindustan Times report on the Harike wetland conservation plan. Source type RM. HOW TO CRACK IT: Check the geography of the rivers before checking the wetland. The Musi is a Deccan river passing Hyderabad and joining the Krishna far inland, while Kolleru sits on the coastal plain, so the pairing fails on distance alone. Keoladeo is famous as an artificially created duck shooting reserve, which is incompatible with being a natural confluence wetland. Testing whether the river pair and the site can even coexist geographically is quicker than recalling each site.

    Difficulty: hard · match

    Open this question on its own page, with the full explanation →

  2. UPSC Prelims 2019 · Environment and Ecology · Environmental Laws, Conventions and Policies

    Consider the following statements: 1. Under Ramsar Convention, it is mandatory on the part of the Government of India to protect and conserve all the wetlands in the territory of India. 2. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India based on the recommendation of Ramsar Convention. 3. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 also encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands as determined by the authority. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Statement 1 – INCORRECT: Article 4 of the Ramsar Convention states that 'Each Contracting Party shall promote the conservation of wetlands and waterfowl by establishing nature reserves on wetlands, whether they are included in the List or not, and provide adequately for their wandering.' It is not mandatory on the part of the Government of India to protect and conserve all the wetlands in the territory of India. Statement 2 – INCORRECT: The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India. These rules were not specifically framed based on the recommendation of Ramsar Convention; they are domestic legislation. Statement 3 – CORRECT: As per Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010, a 'wetland' means an area or of marsh, fen, peatland or water; 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 metres and includes all inland waters such as lakes, reservoir, tanks, backwaters, lagoon, creeks, estuaries and manmade wetland and the zone of direct influence on wetlands that is to say the drainage area or catchment region of the wetlands as determined by the authority. Correct statement: 3 only → Option (c).

    Difficulty: hard · statement

    Open this question on its own page, with the full explanation →

  3. UPSC Prelims 2022 · Environment and Ecology · Protected Areas and Conservation

    Consider the following pairs: Wetland/Lake Location 1. Hokera Wetland — Punjab 2. Renuka Wetland — Himachal Pradesh 3. Rudrasagar Lake — Tripura 4. Sasthamkotta — Tamil Nadu Lake How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

    1. Only one pair
    2. Only two pairs
    3. Only three pairs
    4. All four pairs
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Pair 1 – INCORRECTLY MATCHED: Hokera Wetland is located at the northwest Himalayan biogeographic province of Kashmir, back of the snow-draped Pir Panchal — it is in Jammu & Kashmir, NOT Punjab. Pair 2 – CORRECTLY MATCHED: Renuka Wetland is located in Himachal Pradesh. It is a natural wetland with freshwater springs and inland subterranean karst formations. Pair 3 – CORRECTLY MATCHED: Rudrasagar Lake, also known as Twijillikma, is a lake located in Melaghar, Tripura, India. The Government of India's Ministry of Environment and Forest has identified Rudrasagar as one of the wetlands of National Importance for conservation. Pair 4 – INCORRECTLY MATCHED: Sasthamcotta Lake is the largest fresh water lake in Kerala — NOT Tamil Nadu. Correct pairs: 2 only (Renuka and Rudrasagar) → Only two pairs → Option (b).

    Difficulty: hard · match

    Open this question on its own page, with the full explanation →

Practice questions

  1. Consider the following statements about the Ramsar Convention: 1. It was adopted in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. 2. Designation as a Ramsar site automatically makes a wetland a national park or sanctuary under Indian law. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Statement 1 is correct: the Convention was adopted in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. Statement 2 is incorrect: Ramsar listing is international recognition and a conservation commitment, but it does not automatically notify a national park or wildlife sanctuary under Indian law. Domestic laws, including the Wetlands Rules, 2017, govern applicable protections.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

  2. Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh was created by damming a seasonal stream descending from which hill range?

    1. Aravalli
    2. Shivalik
    3. Satpura
    4. Pir Panjal
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Sukhna Lake was built in 1958 by damming the Sukhna Choe, a seasonal stream coming from the Shivalik hills, the Outer Himalayan foothills near Chandigarh.

    Difficulty: easy · statement

  3. The Montreux Record under the Ramsar Convention identifies which type of wetland?

    1. Wetlands with the highest total bird diversity
    2. Ramsar sites whose ecological character has changed or is threatened
    3. Only wetlands shared by two or more countries
    4. Only wetlands recently added to the Ramsar List
    Show answer

    Answer: B. The Montreux Record identifies Ramsar sites where ecological character has changed, is changing or is likely to change because of human-related pressures. It highlights sites needing priority conservation attention; it is not a list ranked solely by species counts or new designations.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

Mains practice

Answer-writing practice on this article. Attempt it first, then open the hints.

  1. GS3 · 150 words

    Ramsar designation brings international recognition but does not ensure effective protection by itself. Discuss with reference to urban wetlands in India.

    Show hints
    1. Explain the Convention’s wise-use principle and the obligation to maintain a wetland’s ecological character.
    2. Distinguish international Ramsar recognition from protection and regulation under the Wetlands Rules, 2017, and other Indian laws.
    3. Use Sukhna to illustrate how catchment siltation, construction and altered inflows threaten an urban wetland.
    4. Discuss the roles of Wetland Authorities, courts, local communities and coordination across administrative boundaries.
    5. Recommend catchment treatment, measurable management plans, water-quality monitoring and transparent enforcement.