Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh have been designated Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention, taking India's total number of Ramsar sites to 103. The two sites differ in setting and in the species they hold, and each faces its own pressures.
Sukhna Wetland is a peri-urban reservoir at the foothills of the Outer Himalayas (Shivalik Hills). It helps regulate water and sediment flows from its surrounding catchment. The site has open water, littoral vegetation, scrub and forest habitats. It is a feeding, breeding, roosting and wintering ground for migratory waterbirds along the Central Asian Flyway.
The threatened species recorded there include the Vulnerable Common Pochard, the Endangered Pallas's Fish Eagle and the endangered black pond turtle.
Sauj Jheel is a shallow lake surrounded by agricultural fields in the Ganga River floodplain. It lies near Saman Bird Sanctuary, which is also a Ramsar site, and forms part of an interconnected wetland network. The lake regularly supports over 30,000 waterbirds and provides nesting, breeding and feeding habitats.
Its species include the Vulnerable Sarus Crane and the Vulnerable Greater Spotted Eagle, along with wetland plants such as Sacred Lotus and Wild Sugarcane. BirdLife International recognises Sauj Jheel as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA).
A wetland can be designated if it meets at least one of the nine Ramsar criteria. They cover:
Sauj Jheel's more than 30,000 birds are above the 20,000 threshold for waterbirds. The threatened species at both sites fit the criterion on vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered species: the Common Pochard, Pallas's Fish Eagle and black pond turtle at Sukhna, and the Sarus Crane and Greater Spotted Eagle at Sauj Jheel. Sukhna's role as a breeding, roosting and wintering ground for migratory birds fits the criterion on critical life-cycle stages.
Sedimentation, soil erosion and invasive species threaten the ecological health of Sukhna. The site needs catchment conservation and invasive species management, according to the description of the designation.
For Sauj Jheel, the proposed measures are seasonal fishing restrictions, limits on fine-mesh fishing nets and regulated cattle access.
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty adopted in 1971 to promote wetland conservation and the wise use of wetlands. India became a party to it on February 1, 1982.
With reference to the recently designated Ramsar sites, consider the following statements:
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Consider the following information:
| Species | Site where recorded | Status given | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pallas's Fish Eagle | Sukhna Wetland | Endangered |
| 2. | Common Pochard | Sukhna Wetland | Vulnerable |
| 3. | Sarus Crane | Sauj Jheel | Endangered |
| 4. | Greater Spotted Eagle | Sauj Jheel | Vulnerable |
In how many of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Sauj Jheel qualifies for Ramsar designation under the criterion on regular support for at least 20,000 waterbirds.
Statement-II: The lake regularly supports over 30,000 waterbirds and provides nesting, breeding and feeding habitats.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
