Arunachal Pradesh gets its first international wetland site as country's tally rises from 26 in 2014 to 101 today
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the identification of Glaw Lake in Lohit district as the state's first Ramsar site of international importance will encourage biodiversity protection and promote sustainable livelihoods. He said the news marked a big milestone in the ecological conservation history of the state and expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav.
The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental environmental treaty established on February 2, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar to protect wetlands like marshes, swamps, and lakes. India's Ramsar wetland network has crossed the century mark, with Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav announcing Glaw Lake in Arunachal Pradesh as the country's 101st Ramsar Site — and the state's very first.
Yadav shared the announcement on social media platform X, calling it a significant step for biodiversity conservation, water and climate security, and sustainable livelihoods in the region.
The Minister credited the expansion of India's Ramsar network to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that the country's tally of Ramsar Sites has grown from 26 in 2014 to 101 today. He described the growth as a reflection of India's sustained commitment to environmental protection, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, adding that each new site strengthens the country's resolve to protect natural ecosystems while supporting communities that depend on them.
"India continues its journey beyond a century in designating Ramsar Sites," Yadav said, marking the milestone as a symbolic crossing of the 100-site threshold.
About Glaw Lake
Situated within the Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary in the Eastern Himalayas, Glaw Lake is a pristine freshwater lake recognised as a biodiversity hotspot. Fed by perennial mountain streams, the lake is surrounded by dense vegetation supporting a wide variety of plant life.
According to the Minister, the wetland and its catchment area are home to more than 150 tree species and 49 orchid species, highlighting the site's ecological importance within the broader Eastern Himalayan landscape.
With this designation, Arunachal Pradesh joins the list of Indian states with Ramsar recognition, further expanding the geographical spread of the country's protected wetland network.
