SRINAGAR: The government has included two wetlands in Kashmir on the Ramsar site list and it will help protect these water bodies better. The two wetlands are Shalbugh and Haigam.
Two water bodies were already on the list – Hokersar and Wullar Lake. In Jammu, Surinsar-Mansar was also on the list already. Now Jammu and Kashmir has five water bodies falling on the list of water bodies which are of international importance.
Named after the Iranian city of Ramsar where the inter-governmental treaty was conceived in 1971, the Ramsar site framework helps in better conservation and adequate use of wetland resources.
Shallabugh wetland falls in Ganderbal and is spread over 16 square kilometres. The Hygam wetland in Baramulla is spread over 7.25 kilometres.
