Gogabeel Lake, Katihar district (Bihar) designated as India’s 94th Ramsar Site. With this, Bihar now has 6 Ramsar sites.

• India remains 1st in Asia and 3rd globally (after the UK – 176 and Mexico – 144), covering 13.6 lakh hectares.

About Gogabeel Lake

• Type/Nature: Oxbow lake situated between Ganga and Mahananda rivers in Katihar district.
• Special Status: Bihar’s first community reserve, managed jointly by local community and forest department.
• Hydrology: Connects with Ganga and Mahananda during floods, aiding natural flood regulation.
• Ecological Role: Supports migratory birds, aquatic flora, fisheries, and wetland biodiversity.
• Socio-Economic Benefits:
  • Provides livelihoods through fishing, reeds, and eco-tourism.
  • Strengthens flood control, groundwater recharge, and climate resilience.
  • Other Ramsar sites in Bihar: Kanwar Lake, Begusarai; Nagi Lake, Jamui; Nakti Lake, Jamui; Gokul Jalashay, Buxar; Udaipur Jheel, West Champaran and Gogabeel Lake, Katihar (latest, 2025).

About Ramsar Convention (1971)

• An Intergovernmental treaty for conservation & “wise use” of wetlands also known as Convention on Wetlands.
• Adopted: 02 Feb 1971, Ramsar, Iran (→ World Wetlands Day observed on 2nd Feb).
• Secretariat: Located at IUCN Headquarters, Gland, Switzerland.
• Total Contracting Parties: 172 (as of 2025).
• Accession: India became a Contracting Party in 1982.
• Criteria/Triggers: Site selection based on ecological uniqueness, biodiversity richness, and role in water regulation, bird habitat, or flood mitigation.
• Purpose & Implications:
  • Promotes wise use — balancing conservation with sustainable local livelihoods.
  • Enhances global recognition, technical cooperation, and funding opportunities.
  • Encourages national wetland inventory and policy integration.

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India’s Institutional Framework

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• National Programme: National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) — merger of:
  • National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP)
  • National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP)
• Leading States: Tamil Nadu (16) and Uttar Pradesh (10).

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