Udhwa Lake | Jharkhand | 03 Feb 2025

Why in News? 

The Ramsar Convention has recognized four new wetlands in India, increasing the total number of such designated sites in the country to 89.

Key points 

• New Additions to the Ramsar List: 
  • Sakkarakottai Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu) 
  • Therthangal Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu) 
  • Khecheopalri Wetland (Sikkim) 
  • Udhwa Lake (Jharkhand) 
• State-Wise Distribution: 
  • Tamil Nadu holds the highest number of Ramsar sites in India, with 20 wetlands. 
  • Sikkim and Jharkhand have joined the Ramsar list for the first time with their new designations. 
• India’s Global Ranking: 
  • India has the highest number of Ramsar sites in Asia and ranks third globally: 
    • United Kingdom (176 sites) 
    • Mexico (144 sites) 
    • Over the last decade, India’s Ramsar sites increased from 26 to 89, with 47 sites added in just three years. 
• Significance of Wetlands: 
  • Wetlands are areas covered by water temporarily, seasonally, or permanently. 
  • They provide crucial ecosystem services, including: 
    • Flood control 
    • Water supply 
    • Biodiversity support 
    • Food, fibre, and raw material sources 
• The Udhwa Lake:  
  • Location: 
    • It is located in Sahebganj district of Jharkhand. 
    • It is situated in a small village called Udhwa, which is named after Saint Uddhava, a friend of Lord Krishna in the Mahabharatha. 
    • It is the first Ramsar designated wetland from Jharkhand. 
  • Establishment: 
    • In 1991, the sanctuary was established to safeguard and conserve the diverse bird species found in the region.  
    • Designated as the sole bird sanctuary in Jharkhand, it plays a crucial role in preserving the natural heritage and biodiversity of the area. 
  • Rivers: 
    • The Sanctuary has two water bodies Patauran and Berhale, interconnected by a water channel. Patauran is a comparatively clean water body.

Sarna Code | Jharkhand | 03 Feb 2025

Why in News? 

The Rashtriya Adivasi Samnvay Samiti, based in Jharkhand, has urged Scheduled Tribe associations across the country to join a protest demanding a separate Sarna religion code in the upcoming Census.

Key Points 

• Protest at Jantar Mantar: 
  • The Rashtriya Adivasi Samnvay Samiti will lead a mass demonstration at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, on 28th February 2025 to demand a separate religion column for Scheduled Tribe communities in the Census. 
  • The protest call has been circulated among other Adivasi groups, including the Kendriya Sarna Samiti, which have also pushed for a separate Sarna religion code. 
    • Adivasi organizations, primarily from Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal, have demanded a separate religion column in the Census for decades. 
• Impact of the Movement in 2011 Census: 
  • In the 2011 Census, the movement led to 4.9 lakh people marking their religion as Sarna in the ‘Others’ column. 
  • Over 80% of these respondents were from Jharkhand, highlighting the strong regional support for this demand. 
    • Since 2011, the demand for a separate Sarna religion code has gained momentum, particularly in eastern and central India, with increasing mobilization from tribal communities.