BYJU’s IAS

Weekly CA (28th Jan - 4th Feb)

1. Anticipatory Bail

Context

The Supreme Court ruled that the protection granted under Section 438 of the Code of
Criminal Procedure (CrPc) for anticipatory bail “should not invariably be limited to a fixed
period” and can continue even until the end of the trial. The court was deciding a
reference made to it following “conflicting views” of some other benches of the court.

What is anticipatory bail?

● As opposed to ordinary bail, which is granted to a person who is under arrest, in

anticipatory bail, a person is directed to be released on bail even before arrest is
made.
● The necessity for granting anticipatory bail arises mainly because sometimes
influential persons try to implicate their rivals in false cases for the purpose
of disgracing them or for other purposes by getting them detained in jail for some
days… Apart from false cases, ​where there are reasonable grounds for
holding that a person accused of an offence is not likely to abscond, or
otherwise misuse his liberty while on bail​, there seems no justification to
require him first to submit to custody, remain in prison for some days and then
apply for bail.
● In the 1980 ​Gurbaksh Singh Sibbia vs State of Punjab case, a five-judge
Supreme Court bench led by then Chief Justice Y V Chandrachud ruled that
Section 438 (1) is to be interpreted in the light of Article 21 of the Constitution
(protection of life and personal liberty).
● Section 438 of the ​Code of Criminal Procedure​, 1973, lays down the law on
anticipatory bail. Sub-section (1) of the provision reads: “When any person has
reason to believe that he may be arrested on an accusation of having committed
a non-bailable offence, he may apply to the High Court or the Court of Session
for a direction under this section; and that Court may, if it thinks fit, direct that in
the event of such arrest, he shall be released on bail.”
● The provision ​empowers only the Sessions Court and High Court to grant
anticipatory bail.

Conditions while granting anticipatory bail

 ● While granting anticipatory bail, the Sessions Court or High Court can impose the
conditions laid down in sub-section (2) of Section 438.
● Section 438(2) reads: “When the High Court or the Court of Session makes a
direction under sub-section (1), it may include such conditions in such directions
in the light of the facts of the particular case, as it may think fit, including —

(i) a condition that the person shall make himself available for interrogation
by a police officer as and when required;
(ii) a condition that the person shall not, directly or indirectly, make any
inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of
the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the Court or
to any police officer;
(iii) a condition that the person shall not leave India without the previous
permission of the Court;
(iv) such other conditions as may be imposed under sub-section (3) of section
437, as if the bail were granted under that section.”

What did the Court Say?

● The protection of anticipatory or pre-arrest bail cannot be limited to any time

frame or “fixed period” as denial of bail amounts to deprivation of the fundamental
right to personal liberty in a free and democratic country.
● The life or duration of an anticipatory bail order does not normally end at the time
and stage when the accused is summoned by the court, or when charges are
framed, but can continue till the end of the trial
● The court recorded that anticipatory bail is all the more needed now because
there is an accentuation of political rivalry and “this tendency is showing signs of
steady increase”.
● The court held that a plea for anticipatory bail can be filed even before the
registration of FIR as long as there is reasonable basis for apprehension of arrest
and clarity of facts.
● An application for anticipatory bail should be based on concrete facts and not
vague or general allegations. The application should also contain bare essential
facts relating to the offence and why the applicant reasonably apprehends arrest.
It should also have “his side of the story”.
● The grant of protection should not be “blanket” but confined to specific offence or
incident for which relief from arrest is sought. It is open for the police to move
court for arrest of the accused if there is any violation of bail conditions.
2. Criminalisation of Politics

Context

During the hearing of a public interest litigation, the Supreme Court asked the Election
Commission of India to furnish within a week a framework to check criminalisation in
politics in the national interest.

More about the News

● The direction was given by a bench of Justices R F Nariman and S Ravindra

Bhat after ECI submitted that the court’s order asking candidates contesting polls
to declare their criminal antecedents in electronic and print media has not yielded
results.
● During the hearing, the election body submitted before the bench that ​political
parties should not give tickets to candidates with criminal antecedents​,
instead of asking them to provide details in the media.
● The ruling concluded that rapid criminalisation of politics cannot be arrested by
merely disqualifying tainted legislators but should begin by ​“cleansing” the
political parties.
● The court had suggested that Parliament frame a law that makes it obligatory for
political parties to remove leaders charged with “heinous and grievous” crimes
like rape, murder and kidnapping, only to name a few, and ​refuse ticket to
offenders​ in both parliamentary and Assembly polls.
 Data on Criminalisation of Politics

According to the ADR’s analysis of EC data, 233 MPs in the current Lok Sabha face
criminal charges (that is, 43 per cent). There is an increase of 109% [in 2019] in the
number of MPs with declared serious criminal cases since 2009. The number has gone
up from 162 (76 serious) charges in 2009 and 128 (58 serious) in 2004.

Way Forward

● Political parties should themselves refuse tickets to the tainted.

● There is the need for a rule that disallows candidates facing charges for serious offences
from contesting in elections. The parliament needs to consider such an amendment to
the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
● While several Supreme Court judgments make it difficult for criminal candidates to
contest, only enhanced awareness among the citizens and increased democratic
participation could create the right conditions for the decriminalization of politics.
● Fast-track courts should decide the cases of tainted legislators quickly.

3. Novel Coronavirus

Context

The World Health Organization has declared the novel Coronavirus (nCoV) crisis a
global health emergency. China's death toll from the virus has jumped above 360 and
the first death outside China was reported in the Philippines. ​India has so far reported
three cases​, all from Kerala. India has issued a fresh travel advisory and suspended
issuing electronic visas, or e-visas, to Chinese passport holders and applicants of other
nationalities residing in China.

India’s Concerns

● With crumbling health infrastructure due to an overburden of diseases in the

country, India’s preparedness for handling epidemics such as novel coronavirus
(nCoV) becomes a major challenge.
● When we have a disease outbreak, the government has to spend a lot of money
on diagnosing and treating patients.
● For a country of 1.3 billion people, India has too few scientists and healthcare
professionals to deal with such emergencies.
● As the director of the National Institute of Virology said recently, India needs 20
times as many virologists as it has at the moment.
● Given the city structure and the way the settlements have grown, epidemics once
occurs will spread at a galloping rate.
● The slum clusters all around the cities and the unhygienic growth, poor waste
disposal system will only aggravate the situation.

About CoronaVirus

● Coronaviruses are a specific family

of viruses, with some of them
causing less-severe damage, such
as the common cold, and others
causing respiratory and intestinal
diseases.
● So far, there are four main
sub-groupings of coronaviruses,
known as alpha, beta, gamma,
and delta.
● The best known are the ​SARS
coronavirus and the ​Middle East
Respiratory ​Syndrome (MERS)
coronavirus​, both of which can
cause severe respiratory diseases.
● 2019-nCoV is a new strain that has
not been previously identified in
humans. Much remains to be
understood about it.

Where Do Coronaviruses Come

From?

● Coronaviruses are common in

many different species of animals,
including camels and bats. Rarely, these
coronaviruses can evolve and infect
humans and then spread between
humans.
● It is a ​zoonotic virus i.e, spreads
from animals to humans.
4. Abolition of Legislative Council in Andhra Pradesh

Context

The Andhra Pradesh (AP) assembly has passed a resolution to abolish the state’s
Legislative Council. The move comes after the Legislative Council referred the Capital
Decentralization Bill to a Select Committee for review.

The Andhra Pradesh government has to send the resolution to the Governor for his
approval and then to the Parliament for ratification. Andhra Pradesh’s Legislative
Council, set up in 1958, was abolished in 1985, and then re-constituted in 2007.

Councils in the Constitution

● Its establishment is defined in Article 169 of the Constitution of India. Under

Article 168, states can have either one or two Houses of legislature. Article 169
leaves the choice of having a Vidhan Parishad to individual states.
● Under Article 171, a Council cannot have more than a third of the number of
MLAs in the state, and not less than 40 members.
● A third of the MLCs are elected by MLAs, another third by a special electorate
comprising sitting members of local government bodies such as municipalities
and district boards, 1/12th by an electorate of teachers, and another 1/12th by
registered graduates. The remaining members are appointed by the Governor for
distinguished services in various fields.

Councils in other states

● Besides Andhra Pradesh, five other states have Vidhan Parishads — Bihar (58
members), Karnataka (75), Maharashtra (78), Telangana (40), UP (100). Jammu
and Kashmir had a Council until the state was bifurcated into the Union
Territories of J&K and Ladakh.
● In 1986, the M.G. Ramachandran government in Tamil Nadu abolished the
Council. The DMK government passed a law reviving it, but the subsequent J
Jayalalithaa-led government withdrew it after coming to power in 2010.
● The ​Odisha Assembly has passed a resolution to create a Legislative
Council​. ​Proposals to create Councils in Rajasthan and Assam are pending
in Rajya Sabha.
● The parliamentary panel that examined the Rajasthan Bill advocated a national
policy for creation and abolition of Councils: “The status of Second Chamber
cannot be of temporary in nature depending on the mood of the Government of
the day nor can be abolished once created, only at the whims and fancy of a
newly elected Government in the State.”
 Abolition of LC

● Article 169(1) of the Constitution allows Parliament to either create or abolish a

Council in a state “if the Legislative Assembly of the State passes a resolution to
that effect.
● The resolution must by a majority of the total membership of the Assembly and
by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of the Assembly present
and voting

Arguments in Favour of the Formation of the Council

● A Legislative Council can help check hasty actions by the directly elected House.
● The Legislative Council also enables non-elected individuals to contribute to the
legislative process

Arguments Against
● The Constituent Assembly was divided on having a second chamber in the
states.
● The Legislative Council can delay legislation.
● It can also be used to park leaders who have not been able to win an election.
● Some of the poorer states could ill afford the extravagance of two Houses.

5. Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020

Context 
 
The Union Cabinet has approved the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment)
Bill, 2020, to amend the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. 

Details

● The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 is for ​expanding access
of women to safe and legal abortion services on therapeutic, eugenic, humanitarian
or social grounds.
● The proposed amendments include substitution of certain sub-sections, insertion of
certain new clauses under some sections in the existing Medical Termination of
Pregnancy Act, 1971, ​with a view to increase upper gestation limit for termination
of pregnancy under certain conditions and to strengthen access to comprehensive
abortion care, under strict conditions, without compromising service and quality of safe
abortion. 

Significance 
● It is a step towards the safety and well-being of women and many women will be
benefitted by this.
● Recently several petitions were received by the Courts seeking permission for aborting
pregnancies at a gestational age beyond the present permissible limit on grounds of
foetal abnormalities or pregnancies due to sexual violence faced by women.
● The proposed increase in gestational age will ensure dignity, autonomy, confidentiality
and justice for women who need to terminate a pregnancy.
● In order to increase access of women to safe abortion services and taking into account
the advances in medical technology, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has
proposed amendments after extensive consultation with various stakeholders and
several ministries. 

Salient features of proposed amendments 

● The Bill proposes a requirement for opinion of one provider for termination of pregnancy,
up to 20 weeks of gestation and introducing the requirement of opinion of two providers
for termination of pregnancy of 20-24 weeks of gestation.
● Enhances the upper gestation limit from 20 to 24 weeks for special categories of
women which will be defined in the amendments to the MTP Rules and would include
vulnerable women including survivors of rape, victims of incest and other vulnerable
women (like differently-abled women, minors), etc.
● The ​upper gestation limit not to apply in cases of substantial foetal abnormalities
diagnosed by the Medical Board.
● Name and other particulars of a woman whose pregnancy has been terminated
shall not be revealed except to a person authorised in any law for the time being in
force.

6. West Asia Peace Plan

Context

The West Asia peace plan has been unveiled by U.S. President Donald Trump. 

Details 

● The Peace plan seeks to give the Israelis what they have long wanted — an expansive
state with ​Jerusalem as its undivided capital and tight security control over a future
Palestinian state.
● With his plan, Mr. Trump is actually ​pushing to revive the stalled two-state talks
between the Israelis and the Palestinians, but on his own terms. 
 What’s the plan? 

● The Trump plan seeks to address most of the contentious issues in the conflict such as
the border of Israel, the status of Palestinian refugees, Jewish settlements on the West
Bank, Israel’s security concerns and the status of the city of Jerusalem.
● However, the solutions Mr. Trump has proposed to almost all of these issues favour the
Israeli positions.
● For example, ​Israel would be allowed to annex the Jewish settlements on
the West Bank​ as well as the Jordan Valley.
● The Palestinian refugees, who were forced out from their homes during the 1948
Arab-Israeli war that followed the declaration of the state of Israel in historic
Palestine, would not be allowed to return. They could move to the future
Palestinian state, be integrated
into the host countries or settled
in other regional countries.
● Jerusalem, perhaps the most
contentious issue, would be the
undivided capital of Israel, with
Palestine gaining its capital in
the east of the city.
● In return, ​Israel would freeze
further settlement activities
on the West Bank for four
years — the time for
negotiations. During this period,
the ​Palestinian Authority
should dismiss its current
complaints at the
International Criminal Court
against Israel and refrain itself
from taking further actions. It
should also crackdown on
“terrorist” groups such as
Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.
● Trump has also proposed $50 billion in investment over 10 years should
Palestine accept the proposals.
● In the final settlement, Palestine would get control over more land than what it
currently controls.
● The plan also proposes to ​enlarge Gaza and connect the strip with the West
Bank through a tunnel.
● The Arab towns in the southeast of Israel, which are close to Gaza, could
become part of a future Palestinian state. 
 Will the plan work? 

● The Palestine position is that an independent, sovereign Palestinian state should be

formed based on the 1967 border (meaning the whole of the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip) with East Jerusalem as its capital (including the Old City that houses Haram
esh-Sharif, also known as Temple Mount, a holy site for both Muslims and Jews).
● Issues like the right of return of the Palestinian refugees are to be settled in final
negotiations.
● But Mr. Trump has effectively rejected the Palestinian claims and asked them to make
more compromises.
● He seeks to give Jerusalem and about 30% of the West Bank to the Israelis
and has denied the right of return of the Palestinian refugees — all for
truncated sovereignty for the Palestinians in a state that would practically be
surrounded by Israel.
● And for this, the Palestinians should take action against militant groups, stop
supporting Palestinian families of those jailed or killed by Israel and refrain
themselves from questioning the occupation in international fora.
● The Fatah party of President Mahmoud Abbas runs the Palestinian Authority on the
West Bank, while Hamas is running Gaza. While there’s a bitter feud between these two,
both sides, as well as the Islamic Jihad, have come together in rejecting the Trump plan.
● It would be difficult for any Palestinian leader to sell Mr. Trump’s proposals to the
people who are living under occupation for decades.
● The Palestinians say that the Trump administration, which recognised the disputed
Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and supported the settlements on the West Bank, cannot
be an impartial mediator for peace. The Trump plan seems to be underscoring this
argument.

7. AGR - Telecom Issue

Context

Leading telecom companies reported record losses for the quarter ended September 2019 after
making provisions toward the Supreme Court’s ruling on the definition of adjusted gross
revenue (AGR).

The judgment requires private telecom service providers to pay out higher sums towards
license fee and spectrum usage fee, which are dependent on the value of AGR​. The
telecom operators’ liabilities towards the said charges, including interest and penalties, is
estimated to be a whopping ₹1.3 lakh crore.

What is AGR?
 ● The telecom sector was liberalised under the National Telecom Policy, 1994 after which
licenses were issued to companies in return for a fixed license fee. To provide relief from
the steep fixed license fee, the government in 1999 gave an option to the licensees to
migrate to the revenue sharing fee model.
● Under this, ​mobile telephone operators were required to share a percentage of
their AGR with the government as annual license fee (LF) and spectrum usage
charges (SUC).
● License agreements between the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and
the telecom companies define the gross revenues of the latter​. AGR is then
computed after allowing for certain deductions spelt out in these license agreements.

The Dispute

● The ​dispute between DoT and the mobile operators was mainly on the definition of
AGR​.
● The DoT argued that AGR includes all revenues (before discounts) from both telecom
and non-telecom services.
● The companies claimed that AGR should comprise just the revenue accrued from core
services and not dividend, interest income or profit on sale of any investment or fixed
assets.
● Supreme Court on October 24, 2019 upheld the definition of AGR as stipulated by
the DoT.

Why is it important?

● The definition of AGR has been such a contentious issue because it has ​huge financial
implications for both telcos and the government​. The revenue shared by telcos with
the government goes into the consolidated fund of India.
● It was estimated, after the SC’s judgment, that the telecom operators owe the
government about ₹92,000 crore in back charges, interest and penalties on license fee
alone.
● While the government has been deprived of the extra revenue, the financial implications
for telecom companies — who now have to cough up overdue amounts piled up for
years — are serious too. Especially at the current juncture, when profits for telcos are
under pressure from severe competition and the falling ARPUs (average revenue per
user).

To conclude, the government can cheer a bit about the higher contribution to the exchequer,
which could help bridge gaps in the fiscal deficit and bolster government revenues to rescue an
ailing economy. For the consumer, however, the data and voice calls could become dearer.
 8. No-Fly List

Context

Four airlines in India — IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India and GoAir — have banned stand-up
comedian Kunal Kamra from taking their flights after he allegedly heckled television news
anchor Arnab Goswami on an IndiGo flight.

Why is there a no-fly list? 

● The ​Civil Aviation Requirements issued by the Directorate General of Civil

Aviation (DGCA) note that unruly behaviour onboard aircraft has been declared an
offence and is a punishable act. Even one unruly passenger can jeopardise safety on
board.
● The government kick-started the process of developing these rules after an incident
involving then Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad assaulting an Air India staffer on a flight
back in 2017 occurred.
● Subsequently, a number of airlines banned Gaikwad from travelling on their flights. The
government then came out with the no-fly list in 2017. 

Guidelines for no-fly list 

● In 2017, the government issued rules for preventing disruptive behaviour by air travellers
and laid down guidelines.
● As per the rules, ​a complaint of unruly behavior needs to be filed by the
pilot-in-command​, and this is to be ​probed by an internal committee to be set up by
the airline.
● During the period of pendency of the inquiry, the rules empower the concerned airline to
impose a ban on the passenger. The committee is to decide the matter within 30 days,
and also specify the ban duration.

The rules define three categories of unruly behavior 

● Level 1​ refers to behaviour that is verbally unruly, and calls for debarment up to three
months;
● Level 2​ indicates physical unruliness and can lead to the passenger being debarred
from flying for up to six months;
● Level 3​ indicates life-threatening behaviour for which the debarment would be for a
minimum of two years. 

How does someone end up on the list? 

 ● A no-fly list essentially begins with a passenger causing verbal, physical or
life-threatening unruliness. The DGCA has given an indicative list of actions that may be
construed as unruly.
● These include: consuming alcohol or drugs resulting in unruly behaviour; smoking in an
aircraft; using threatening or abusive language towards a member of the crew or other
passengers; intentionally interfering with the performance of the duties of a crew
member, etc.
● Once the pilot-in-command submits his complaint, the airline is bound to refer the
complaint to its internal committee.
● During the course of the inquiry, the airline can ban the passenger from flying for a
maximum period of up to 30 days.
● In addition, the Ministry of Home Affairs provides a list of individuals identified as national
security threats to DGCA and to the airlines, for inclusion in the no-fly list. 

What is the structure of the internal committee? 

● The internal committee is to consist of a retired district and sessions judge as Chairman,
along with a representative from a different scheduled airline and a representative from a
passengers’ association or consumer association as members.
● The internal committee shall give the final decision in 30 days by giving the reasons in
writing, the rules state, and the ​decision of the committee shall be binding on the
airline concerned.
● In case the committee fails to make a decision in 30 days, the passenger will be free to
fly. 

Is there redress for someone declared guilty by the internal committee? 

● Any aggrieved person, upon receipt of communication of a ban from the airline, may
appeal within 60 days from the date of issue of the order, to an​ Appellate Committee
constituted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation​, consisting of a retired judge of a High
Court as Chairman; a representative from a passengers’ association or a consumer
association; and an airlines representative not below the rank of vice-president or
equivalent.
● The rules, however, do not specify the functional details of either the internal committee
or the appellate committee, and whether they would invite the accused to make their
case.
● The Civil Aviation Requirements state that the ​decision of the appellate committee
shall be final and that any further appeal shall lie in a High Court.

9. Nagoba Jatara

Context
 Members of Mesram clan geared up for celebrating their important religious and culture
affair Nagoba Jatara at Keslapur village in Indervelli mandal. They revere the God and
perform certain rituals by strictly following their customs. Nagoba Jatara, the five-day
long annual festivities, sees the largest congregation of Adivasis belonging to various
parts of the country.

About Nagoba Jatara

● Nagoba Jatara is a tribal festival held in Keslapur village in Telangana.

● It is the second biggest tribal carnival and celebrated by the Mesram clan of ​Gond tribes
for 10 days.
● Tribal people from Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh belonging
to the Mesram clan offer prayers at the festival.

● The event also includes a ceremony called ‘​bheting​’, which incorporates new brides into
the clan. The Raj Gond Adivasis of Adilabad follow an elaborate ritual called Bheting,
one of their many regalistic ceremonies, through which new daughters-in-law are
formally introduced to the clan. All those who are married into the clan during the last
year need to ‘meet’ clan deities through Bheting so that they become eligible to enter the
deity’s temple.
● The women clad in white saris are the ​Bheti Koriad or daughters-in-law to be
introduced to ​goddess Jangubai and belong to the eight clans which have Jangubai as
the clan deity.
● Adivasis celebrate with music and more than 15 types of dances.
● The ​Gusadi Dance performance by dancers from the Gond tribe is a major special
attraction of the event.

10. Ten More Ramsar Wetlands

Context

In a major recognition towards the Government of India’s effort towards conservation,

restoration and rejuvenation of its wetlands, Ramsar has declared 10 more wetland sites
from India as sites of international importance.

About the Sites

● The 10 new ones are ​Nandur Madhameshwar​, a first for Maharashtra;

Keshopur-Miani​, ​Beas Conservation Reserve and ​Nangal in Punjab; and
Nawabganj​, ​Parvati Agra, Saman, Samaspur, Sandi and Sarsai Nawar in Uttar
Pradesh. The other Ramsar sites are in Rajasthan, Kerala, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh,
Himachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh,
Manipur, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Tripura.
● With this, a ​total of 37 sites in the country have been recognized under the
international treaty. Wetlands declared as Ramsar sites are protected under strict
guidelines.
● According to India State of Forest Report, 2019, released in December last year, the
country has 62,466 wetlands covering 3.83 per cent of its recorded forest area.

Significance

● Wetlands comprise a whole range of ecosystems. Some like riverine ecosystems are
natural. They provide a wide range of important resources and ecosystem services such
as food, water, fibre, groundwater recharge, water purification, flood moderation, erosion
control and climate regulation.. They also support biodiversity.
● Wetlands' microbes, plants and wildlife are ​part of global cycles for water, nitrogen
and sulphur. Wetlands store carbon within their plant communities and soil instead of
releasing it to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
● Wetlands function as ​natural barriers that trap and slowly release surface water,
rain, snowmelt, groundwater and flood waters​. Wetland vegetation also slow the
speed of flood waters lowering flood heights and reduces soil erosion.
● More than one billion people depend on them for a living and ​40% of the world’s
species live and breed in wetlands.
● This addition will help in achieving India’s ambition mission ​‘Nal se Jal’ which aims to
provide piped water connection to every household by 2024.

Major Threats to wetland

Urbanization and land use changes​: ​During the 90 year period from 1901 to 1991, the
number of urban centres doubled while urban population has increased eightfold. This
magnitude of growth exerted tremendous pressure on wetlands and flood plain areas for
meeting water and food demand of growing population.

Agricultural residues​: ​As a result of intensification of agricultural activities over the past
four decades, fertilizer consumption in India has increased from about 2.8 million tonne
in 1973–1974 to 28.3 million tonne in 2010–2011.

Municipal and Industrial pollution/waste: Less than 31 percent of the domestic

wastewater from Indian urban centres is treated, compared to 80 percent in the
developed world, which is largely discharged in the natural water bodies such as
streams and rivers.

Ramsar Convention

The Convention, signed in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar, is ​one of the oldest
inter-governmental accord for preserving the ecological character of wetlands. Also
known as the Convention on Wetlands, it aims to develop a global network of wetlands
for conservation of biological diversity and for sustaining human life.

The aim of the Ramsar list is to develop and maintain an international network of
wetlands which are important for the conservation of global biological diversity and
for sustaining human life through the maintenance of their ecosystem components,
processes and benefits. Wetlands declared as Ramsar sites are protected under strict
guidelines of the convention.