Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav announced the designation of Glaw Lake (also known as Glow Lake) in Arunachal Pradesh as India’s 101st Ramsar Site — marking Arunachal Pradesh’s very first Ramsar Site and taking India’s tally of internationally protected wetlands past the 100 mark.
Context:
What It Is
A high-altitude, pristine, natural freshwater lake in the Eastern Himalayas, spread over an estimated 8 sq km at an elevation of about 1,168 metres above sea level, and a major source of the perennial Kamlang River.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| District | Lohit District, Arunachal Pradesh (near the town of Wakro) |
| Protected area | Lies deep inside the Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, bounded by the Lang River to the north and Namdapha National Park to the south |
| Indigenous communities | Surrounded by traditional territories of the Miju Mishmi, Digaro Mishmi and Idu Mishmi tribes |
Origin
- Hydrological: fed by multiple perennial high-altitude mountain streams flowing down from Eastern Himalayan glaciated ridges.
- Geomorphological: formed through natural tectonic activity and land-block warping typical of the Eastern Himalayan structural fold belt, creating a high-altitude depression that impounds alpine run-off.
Ecological Significance
- A biodiversity hotspot, surrounded by lush vegetation supporting rich floral diversity.
- Over 150 tree species and 49 orchid species recorded within the site and its catchment.
- Located in the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, one of the world’s most species-rich and least-explored regions.
- Its perennial feed to the Kamlang River makes it a water security asset for downstream communities.
Background: The Ramsar Convention
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat |
| Signed | 2 February 1971 at Ramsar, Iran; in force from 1975 |
| World Wetlands Day | 2 February |
| India’s accession | 1982; first sites — Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) |
| India’s tally | 101 — the highest in Asia and among the highest in the world |
| Montreux Record | A register of Ramsar sites where ecological character has changed or is likely to change. India’s entries: Keoladeo National Park and Loktak Lake (Manipur) |
Exam Relevance
UPSC — Prelims (GS-III, Environment): Ramsar sites are among the most reliably tested current-affairs items. Retain: Glaw Lake — 101st Ramsar Site — Arunachal Pradesh’s first — Lohit district — Kamlang Tiger Reserve — Kamlang River. Also fix the standing facts: Convention signed 1971 at Ramsar, Iran; India acceded 1982 with Chilika and Keoladeo; Montreux Record entries — Keoladeo and Loktak; Wetland City Accreditation — Indore and Udaipur; World Wetlands Day 2 February. Note the adjacency of Namdapha National Park, itself a frequently asked site. Mains (GS-III): usable in answers on wetland conservation and ecosystem services, on the gap between international designation and domestic legal protection, and on community-based conservation — the Mishmi territories here illustrate why “wise use” rather than exclusionary protection is the Ramsar approach.
NABARD Grade A — Moderate relevance for Phase I General Awareness
