PM Modi hails Bihar’s New Ramsar Sites Gokul Jalashay and Udaipur Jheel as Milestone; Know More about Them
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lauded the addition of two new Ramsar Sites from Bihar—Gokul Jalashay (448 hectares) in Buxar district and Udaipur Jheel (319 hectares) in West Champaran district—as a proud moment for India’s environmental stewardship.
Responding to a post by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav on X, the PM said: “Wonderful news! Wetlands are vital to sustainable development. A special appreciation to the people of Bihar, who are showing in thought and action how to be at the forefront of environmental conservation.”
India now has 93 Ramsar sites, which are important wetlands, covering a total area of 13,60,719 hectares. This makes India the leader in Asia for the number of these designated wetlands.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, shared this news on social media. He praised the government's efforts to balance nature with development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. Yadav mentioned that India is setting a good example globally, ranking first in Asia and third in the world for Ramsar sites.
In just over ten years, the number of recognized wetlands in India has grown from 26 to 93, with 47 of those added in the last three years. Earlier this year, four more wetlands were recognized, bringing the total to 89 at that time. Tamil Nadu now has the most Ramsar sites, with 20, while Sikkim and Jharkhand have their first Ramsar sites.
Great kumbh of migratory birds at Gokul
Every year a great Kumbh of migratory birds is held in Gokul. Around 3500 migratory and rare birds of 65 species come here. Since the year 2022, the highest number of migratory bird species have been seen here in Bihar.
Recently, Asian waterfowl census was conducted between 28 March and 06 April. Under the leadership of Arvind Mishra, member of Bombay Natural History Society, bird census was conducted in Gokul reservoir and Ganga area. Due to the removal of water hyacinth and open water area in Gokul reservoir, it has become an ideal shelter for birds.
Udaipur Wildlife Sanctuary contains Udaipur Lake
Udaipur Wildlife Sanctuary, containing Udaipur Lake which is a Ramsar site, is located in West Champaran district of Bihar. It was established in 1978, and covers an area of 8.74 km2. The wildlife sanctuary is predominantly 319 ha wetland, located in the floodplain of the Gandaki River. It is home to a variety of water birds, both resident and migratory. The sanctuary has a rest house.
Prakash Kumar Pandey