New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) organised World Wetlands Day celebrations at the Parvati Arga Ramsar Site in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. The event was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh, alongside senior officials from both Union and State governments.
Themed ‘Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future’, the event underscored the essential role of wetlands in environmental conservation, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods. This theme highlights the necessity for collaborative efforts to value and safeguard these biodiverse ecosystems, ensuring a secure future for all.
In his address, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath commended Kirti Vardhan Singh’s dedication to preserving Gonda’s ecology, particularly the Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary and the Tikri forest area. He noted that, given their proximity to Ayodhya, these sites have the potential to be developed into eco-tourism hubs, attracting numerous tourists and offering opportunities to connect with nature. He also supported the initiative to link the wetland with the Sarayu canal to maintain its water flow. He emphasised that Parvati Arga has long been recognised for its rich biodiversity and is now gaining global attention. Discussing the significance of Ramsar Sites in India, he highlighted the role of migratory birds, which travel thousands of kilometres to Parvati Arga, in maintaining environmental balance.
#WorldWetlandsDay 2025, themed ‘Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future’, celebrated at Parvati Arga Ramsar Site, in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh
A new nature-culture tourism corridor will be developed between Ayodhya and Devi Patan: MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh@KVSinghMPGonda pic.twitter.com/scsyu6HBa3
— DD News (@DDNewslive) February 3, 2025
The event also featured the felicitation of winners from painting, quiz, and street play competitions themed ‘Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future’. The winning team from AP Inter College, Mankapur, Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, performed their skit for the dignitaries. Additionally, Ramsar Site managers from newly designated sites in Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, and Sikkim were congratulated and presented with Ramsar certificates.
An exhibition was inaugurated, featuring over 25 exhibitors from various states, technical organisations, and government departments. The exhibition included stalls focusing on water hyacinth and bamboo-based products, the Green Skill Development Programme, and wetland conservation efforts in India. It also showcased outreach activities conducted by the National Museum of Natural History under the ‘Save Wetlands Campaign’, displaying winning paintings from a nationwide competition.
On the eve of World Wetlands Day, a regional workshop for Northern states was organised, bringing together knowledge partners and private sector organisations. This workshop, part of the Sahbhagita Mission, served as a platform to enhance collaborative efforts and highlight innovative approaches to wetland conservation and management.
World Wetlands Day is observed annually on 2 February to commemorate the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1971. India has been a party to the Convention since 1982 and has recently increased its tally of Ramsar sites to 89 by designating four more wetlands. The Amrit Dharohar initiative, launched in June 2023, aims to promote the unique conservation values of Ramsar Sites in India while generating employment opportunities and supporting local livelihoods.