In just one week, Tamil Nadu’s count of Ramsar sites, wetlands of international importance, went from just one to 10. It was 20 years ago, in August, that the Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary was declared a Ramsar site in the State. For the next two decades, it remained the only such designated site. Something has changed. For starters, the State seems to have improved its credibility with its commitment to environment issues, at a time when the country has set its sights on the Ramsar tag for 75 sites on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Indian independence.
Naturalists and wildlife enthusiasts, not to forget birders and forest officials, were in for delight this past week, when after two decades, first three, and then six more wetlands in the State got the Ramsar site recognition. “Congratulations, Tamil Nadu. We just added six more to our list of four, reaching 1st position in India alongside UP with a total of 10 Ramsar sites,” Supriya Sahu, Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department, wrote on Twitter after the official announcement came.
