Why in the News
Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced on 30 January 2026 that two new sites had joined India's Ramsar list: Patna Bird Sanctuary in Etah district, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhari-Dhand in Kutch district, Gujarat. According to PIB, India's Ramsar sites have now risen from 26 in 2014 to 98. The PIB release for World Wetlands Day on 2 February 2026 also gave the same number.
Patna Bird Sanctuary
Etah, Uttar Pradesh; site number 2589
Freshwater marshes; 178 bird species
Chhari-Dhand
Kutch, Gujarat; site number 2588
Seasonal saline wetland; about 30,000 common cranes
Total Ramsar sites
From 26 (2014) to 98
Diagram: original table.
Identity of the Two Sites
According to the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Chhari-Dhand is a seasonal saline wetland lying between the dry grasslands of Banni and the salt flats of Kutch. It fills in the monsoon. The critically endangered sociable lapwing is found here, and about 30,000 common cranes come every winter. Patna Bird Sanctuary has freshwater marshes, forests and grasslands. It has 178 bird and 252 plant species recorded, and BirdLife has recognised it as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA).
World Wetlands Day 2026
According to PIB, the theme was "Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage". The event was held at Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Ministry released a document, Cultural Wonders of Ramsar Sites. The Ramsar Convention was adopted on 2 February 1971 in the city of Ramsar, Iran, and India signed it on 1 February 1982.
Where Does Confusion Arise in the Exam?
The year the Convention was adopted (1971) and the year India signed (1982) are different. Also, remember each site's state and district as a pair: Patna Bird Sanctuary (Etah, Uttar Pradesh) and Chhari-Dhand (Kutch, Gujarat).
Direction of Preparation from Previous Questions:
The UPSC Preliminary 2023 official General Studies Paper-I had statement-based and match-the-pair questions. So prepare sites, states and numbers separately. The questions below are original practice, not actual PYQs.
Preliminary Examination Style: Practice Questions
1. With reference to the Ramsar announcement of January 2026, consider the following statements:
Statement 1: Patna Bird Sanctuary is in Etah district of Uttar Pradesh and Chhari-Dhand is in Kutch district of Gujarat.
Statement 2: After their addition, the number of Ramsar sites in India became 98.
Statement 3: India signed the Ramsar Convention in 1971.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer: (b) Only two. Statements 1 and 2 are correct. The Convention was adopted in 1971; India signed it on 1 February 1982.
2. What was the theme of World Wetlands Day 2026?
(a) Wetlands and Climate Change
(b) Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage
(c) Wetlands and Urban Development
(d) Wetlands and Migratory Birds
Answer: (b). PIB stated the theme as "Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage".
3. According to the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Chhari-Dhand is a seasonal saline wetland located where?
(a) Between the Banni grasslands and the salt flats of Kutch
(b) Between the Western Ghats and the Konkan coast
(c) Between the Sundarbans and the Mahanadi delta
(d) Between the Thar sand dunes and the Aravallis
Answer: (a). This location is stated in the Ramsar Convention Secretariat's information.
Sources:
- PIB: Patna Bird Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh and Chhari-Dhand in Gujarat get International Recognition, 31 January 2026.
- PIB: World Wetlands Day 2026, 2 February 2026.
- Ramsar Convention Secretariat: India names two more Wetlands of International Importance, 30 January 2026.
- UPSC: Preliminary Examination 2023, question format.
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