Wetland Day - 2nd Feb
India has expanded its global wetland footprint with the addition of two new sites to the Ramsar list, reinforcing its commitment to environmental conservation ahead of World Wetlands Day on 2 February 2026. The announcement was made by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav. New Ramsar Sites in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat The newly designated wetlands are the Patna Bird Sanctuary in Etah district of Uttar Pradesh and Chhari-Dhand in Kutch district of Gujarat . With their inclusion, India’s total number of Ramsar sites has increased further, strengthening the country’s standing among leading nations in wetland conservation. Expansion of India’s Ramsar Network The Minister highlighted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India’s Ramsar network has expanded by over 276 per cent, growing from 26 sites in 2014 to 98 sites at present. This growth reflects sustained policy fo...