WHY IS IT IN NEWS?
- Glaw Lake in Arunachal Pradesh has been designated as India’s 101st Ramsar Site under the Ramsar Convention.
- It is the first wetland from Arunachal Pradesh to be recognized as a Wetland of International Importance.
UPSC Relevance: GS III (Environment) | Prelims
ABOUT GLAW LAKE
- Location: Anjaw District, Arunachal Pradesh
- Landscape: Eastern Himalayas
- Protected Area: Located within the Kamlang Tiger Reserve
- Type: High-altitude freshwater glacial lake
- Hydrology: Fed by perennial mountain streams
- Altitude: Around 5,000 m above sea level (if asked in reports)
- Status: Arunachal Pradesh’s first Ramsar Site and India’s 101st Ramsar Site.
- Surrounded by dense temperate and alpine forests.
- Catchment supports 150+ tree species and 49 orchid species.
- Habitat for several threatened Himalayan flora and fauna.
ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE
- Acts as a natural freshwater reservoir.
- Maintains downstream river flow.
- Supports rich alpine biodiversity.
- Important breeding and feeding habitat for wildlife.
- Helps in groundwater recharge and climate regulation.
- Acts as a natural carbon sink.
KAMLANG TIGER RESERVE
- Located in Anjaw District, Arunachal Pradesh.
- Declared a Tiger Reserve in 2016.
- Part of the Mishmi Hills Landscape.
- Named after the Kamlang River, a tributary of the Lohit River.
- Home to: Bengal Tiger, Clouded Leopard, Red Panda, Mishmi Takin
- Hoolock Gibbon, Himalayan Black Bear
RAMSAR CONVENTION
- International treaty for conservation and wise use of wetlands.
- Adopted in 1971 at Ramsar, Iran.
- Came into force in 1975.
- India became a Contracting Party in 1982.
- Secretariat: Gland, Switzerland
- World Wetlands Day: 2 February
CRITERIA FOR RAMSAR DESIGNATION
- A wetland may be designated if it:
- Supports threatened species.
- Represents a unique wetland ecosystem.
- Supports migratory birds.
- Maintains biological diversity.
- Plays an important ecological or hydrological role.
RAMSAR SITES IN INDIA
- Total: 101
- Latest: Glaw Lake
- First Ramsar Site of Arunachal Pradesh
- Top States
- State Ramsar Sites
- Tamil Nadu 20
- Uttar Pradesh 10
- Rajasthan 10
- Bihar 6
- Gujarat 5
- Jammu & Kashmir 5
PRELIMS POINTERS
- India’s 101st Ramsar Site.
- First Ramsar Site in Arunachal Pradesh.
- Located inside Kamlang Tiger Reserve.
- Lies in the Eastern Himalayas.
- Ramsar Convention adopted in 1971.
- India joined in 1982.
- World Wetlands Day: 2 February.
- Ramsar Secretariat is located in Gland, Switzerland.
- Wetlands are designated based on ecological significance, not merely their size.
Constitutional & Legal Linkages
- Article 48A – Protection and improvement of the environment.
- Article 51A(g) – Fundamental duty to protect the natural environment.
- Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 – Governs conservation and management of wetlands in India.
good information.