UPSC Mains 2018 · GS III · Q7 · 10 marks · 150 words

What is wetland? Explain the Ramsar concept of ‘wise use’ in the context of wetland conservation. Cite two examples of Ramsar sites from India.

हिन्दी में

आर्द्रभूमि क्या है? आर्द्रभूमि संरक्षण के संदर्भ में ‘बुद्धिमत्तापूर्ण उपयोग’ की रामसर संकल्पना को स्पष्ट कीजिए। भारत से रामसर स्थलों के दो उदाहरणों का उद्धरण दीजिए।

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “Wetlands play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance, yet they face several anthropogenic and climate-related threats. Discuss. What steps have been undertaken by the Government of India to conserve and promote wetlands?”

Pakshal SecretryAIR 8 · CSE 2025 · 230 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a definition

As per Ramsar Convention, wetland are area of swarm, marsh, peat etc, that contain water that is static or fluid with coastal areas upto 6m depth.

Body · points

Crucial in ecological balance

(1) Act as kidney of earth Eg Kolkata Wetland → water pollution (2) sponges → absorb water in case of high rainfall and release in case of low rainfall (3) Biodiversity protection Eg Birds → migrate to Keoladeo in Rajasthan (4) Ensuring ecological support cycle → Role in water cycle (5) Regulating services of wetland → Act as water divide, pollution control. (6) Provisioning services → food in form of fish ensure human-environmental balance

Threats

(A) Anthropogenic (i) Alteration of Natural Hydrological Regime (ii) Excessive extraction from Wetland → fishery. (iii) Encroachment → Bengaluru wetlands (iv) Pollution of existing wetland → Chillika lake (B) Climate Related Threats (i) Uneven Rainfall → Draining of wetlands (VI) High temperature → More evaporation → less water (VII) Wetland acidification and eutrophication (VIII) Rising Threat of Invasive species due to climate change eg Water hyacinth.

Steps Taken

(1) 85+ wetland listed under Ramsar Convention (2) National wetland Management Rules, 2017 → State level control, maintaining inventory [samarvan] (3) AMRUT Mission → for rejuvenating 100 wetland in every district (4) Atal Bhujal yojana. (5) AMRUT → for urban wetland preservation

Close · a way forward

Local & traditional preservation technique need to be leveraged for community level

3 more toppers’ answers to this question, part by part, and how they all approached it: open the question.

Toppers’ answers to other close questions

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2018, General Studies Paper III, Q7. The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.