Thane sanctuary proposed as MMR’s Ramsar site

Subject : Environment

Context : A proposal has been submitted to declare Thane creek Flamingo Sanctuary as a Ramsar site.

Concept :

Maharashtra Mangrove Cell has submitted the proposal for approval to the State Wetland Authority.
With this, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region is likely to get its first Ramsar site at the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary and third in the Maharashtra to be designated as Wetlands of International Importance.
Nandur Madhameshwar became the first site designated from Maharashtra. The Lonarlake in Buldhana district was declared as the 41st Ramsar site of India and second in the state.

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands:

A Ramsar site is a wetland area designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental environmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Convention for the conservation of wetlands was called the ‘Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat’.
The convention got its name of Ramsar Convention from the city of Ramsar in Iran where it was signed in 1971 and came into force in 1975.
India joined the convention in 1982 and since then 42 sites have been designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites).