Kichan, Menar in Rajasthan get Ramsar tags
The Union environment ministry announced on Wednesday that two new wetlands — Kichan in Phalodi and Menar in Udaipur — from Rajasthan have been designated as Ramsar sites, taking up the list of such wetlands in India to 91.
Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention, headquartered in Gland, Switzerland.
Commenting on the development, PM Modi said on X, 'Great news! India's strides in environmental conservation are happening with great vigour and are powered by public participation.'
'The achievement is yet another testament to the fact that PM Shri @narendramodi ji's focus on environmental conservation is successfully helping India build a greener tomorrow,' Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav wrote on X.
HT had reported on May 19 that in Rajasthan, a small village, less than 50 km off Udaipur, has emerged as a biodiversity hotspot with sightings of several threatened and near-threatened bird species over the last few years. These sightings and community-driven conservation efforts have bestowed Menar with the moniker of 'bird village'.
Recent sightings include species such as cinereous vulture, long-billed vulture, Himalayan griffon vulture and Egyptian vulture in the grasslands, besides Asian wooly-necked stork, ferruginous pochard, Dalmatian pelican, and black-tailed godwit in the Menar wetlands.
India has the largest number of Ramsar wetlands in Asia, according to the ministry.
Under the Convention on Wetlands, an intergovernmental treaty for conservation of wetlands, contracting parties are expected to identify and place suitable wetlands onto the List of Wetlands of International Importance, or the Ramsar List.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
PWD to repair two west Delhi flyovers
The Public Works Department (PWD) on June 21 invited bids to repair the Raja Garden flyover and the Shadipur flyover in west Delhi at a cost of ₹ 8.8 crore. The Raja Garden flyover opened in 2001 and the Shadipur flyover in 1971, and neither has undergone major repairs since construction. PWD said the elastomeric bearing connecting the slabs with the base and the expansion joints need to be replaced. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo) The Raja Garden flyover connects Raja Garden to Mayapuri and repairs on it are likely to cost ₹ 4.9 crore. The second flyover connects Moti Nagar to Shadipur and its repairs would cost ₹ 3.9 crore. PWD said repairs are expected to take place in phases over 15 months. 'These projects will include the repair of spalled and honeycomb concrete in the core structure as well the replacement of the elastomeric bearing connecting the slabs with the base. We will also strengthen the girders and repair the expansion joints,' said a PWD official. PWD officials said that concrete expands and contracts with temperature changes and tends to develop cracks. An expansion joint is a small gap that provides space for the concrete to expand and contract. It is an iron joint placed between concrete slabs to prevent damage to concrete and absorb vibrations. 'After the concrete layer is removed, the deck surface will be closely inspected for signs of distress such as cracks, pockets of loose or honeycombed concrete. Then it will be thoroughly cleaned with special efforts to remove any loose material. Expansion joints and spouts will be removed carefully so that deck concrete is not damaged and reinforcement shall be cleaned thoroughly,' the official said. Honeycombing of the concrete refers to the formation of voids or air pockets in concrete, resembling a honeycomb-like structure, due to poor filling of the formwork. Spalling of the concrete refers to flaking of concrete from a larger mass, often caused by internal pressure from rusting and freeze-thaw cycles. In March, the Delhi government had ordered a comprehensive survey of all 102 flyovers in the city to identify problems. Several flyovers were built in the decade in the run up to the 2010 Commonwealth Games and are in need of repairs. Some of the flyovers that have been intensively repaired in the last two years include those in Shahdara, Loni Road, Nangloi, Chirag Delhi, Okhla, Janak Setu in New Delhi, and Pul Mithai. According to the March 3 order, PWD deployed five teams to inspect the flyovers under the oversight of the departmental special secretary. The government has allocated more than ₹ 3,800 crore in the recent state budget to improve and develop roads and bridges in the city. Mehar Chand a frequent commuter on West Delhi corridor said that on the ring road while coming from Mayapuri toward Punjabi Bagh, driving down on Raja Garden flyover there is frequent water logging problem even after light rain because of low lying area between both flyovers and lack of efficient water drain. Similarly, Vinay Gujela, a local resident said that the Raja Garden flyover also suffers from encroachment which must be cleared.. ' Why have agencies allowed food carts to stand on road. these encroachers are affecting the traffic flow and they also harass common people on road.'
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Govt to train students in art of manuscript preservation
Panaji: Merging academic learning with heritage conservation, the state directorate of archives will soon launch an initiative to train history students in manuscriptology and palaeography to preserve the state's centuries-old documentary heritage. 'Spanning pre-Portuguese, Portuguese, and post-Liberation eras, the archives house a wealth of documents in diverse scripts and languages — from ancient Devanagari and Modi to Portuguese and Roman scripts — making it fertile ground for this initiative. The initiative will not only help conserve Goa's manuscript wealth, but also offer practical skill-building opportunities to students,' an archives official told TOI . As part of the National Education Policy (NEP), internships are now mandatory in college curricula, and the state archives department is turning this academic requirement into a unique opportunity for history students in Goa. The plan is to start the orientation and training of students by mid-Aug in this academic year. 'The department will equip students with these skills before involving them in real-time documentation and conservation efforts,' the official said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like See How Much You Can Save on Car Insurance Search7 Learn More Undo 'The initiative is linked to the Gyan Bharatam Mission, part of the Union culture ministry's National Mission for Manuscripts, which aims to preserve and digitise India's rich manuscript heritage. To facilitate this, state govt has already approved the establishment of the Goa State Mission for Manuscripts,' the official said. Under this mission, the archives department will launch an extensive statewide survey to identify manuscripts — some of which may be with private collectors and religious institutions across Goa. Once documented, these manuscripts will be conserved and digitised to make them accessible to future generations. TOI reported on June 18 that under this initiative, the department expects to find literary treasures such as correspondence that was once exchanged between neighbouring kings, freedom fighters, and texts that capture the essence of Goan life through the centuries.
Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Over 6,300 farmers to switch to natural farming in Prayagraj division
To reduce input costs and boost farmers' income, 6,375 farmers across the Prayagraj division will adopt cow-based organic farming under the National Mission on Natural Farming, officials said. The initiative aims to promote sustainable agriculture and empower farmers in Prayagraj, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi and Fatehpur districts under the division. A group of women farmers sowing paddy in a field at a village in Soraon area of Prayagraj. (HT File) According to SP Srivastava, joint director of agriculture, 51 dedicated clusters have been identified in these four districts: 12 in Prayagraj, 22 in Pratapgarh, nine in Fatehpur and eight in Kaushambi. Each cluster will cover 50 hectares, bringing a total of 2,550 hectares under natural farming practices, he said. To encourage farmers to move away from chemical-based farming, the state government is providing financial assistance. 'Each farmer will receive ₹ 4,000 per acre annually to support the transition to natural farming,' Srivastava said. Additionally, 102 rural women have been selected to promote and guide farmers in the initiative. These women are undergoing training and will begin work in July, receiving a monthly honorarium of ₹ 5,000 from the government, he added. To ensure the long-term success of the programme, the government is integrating participating farmers into Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs). This will give them access to farm machinery banks, custom hiring centres, warehouses, cold storage facilities, and advanced marketing support, he said. Srivastava said the U.P. government aims to turn natural farming into a mass movement by promoting it in every gram panchayat. Following the initiative's success in Bundelkhand, the model is now being expanded to Purvanchal and central Uttar Pradesh. He said the initiative aligns with the state's vision of self-reliant agriculture by reducing dependence on costly chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
