Sukhna Earns Ramsar Site Status; Illegal Mining Continues

October

2026

Chandigarh’s iconic Sukhna Wetland has been declared a Ramsar Site, making it the city’s first wetland to enter the global list of wetlands of international importance and placing its conservation under greater international scrutiny. Panjab Governor and Chandigarh Union Territory administrator Gulab Chand Kataria said, 'This international recognition is a proud moment for Chandigarh, but it also brings greater responsibility. Our priority must be to protect Sukhna Wetland, its catchment and biodiversity through sustained conservation, so that this natural heritage is preserved for future generations.' According to the Ramsar Secretariat’s 15 Oct announcement, along with Sauj Jheel (lake), Uttar Pradesh, Sukhna Wetland's inclusion brings India's total to 103 Ramsar Sites. Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Panjab government to take action on a ‘Survey of India’ report identifying nearly 233 sites where illegal mining activities are allegedly being carried out in Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts, warning that the matter could be handed over to an independent agency if appropriate action is not taken. In parallel, former Panjab Chief Minister and Indian National Congress Member of Parliament Charanjit Singh Channi visited a mining site in Rupnagar district on 15 Oct night in a tipper truck. Channi claimed mining operations were underway at around 1 am, with poclain machines excavating sand and long queues of tipper trucks waiting to be loaded. He alleged that those present at the site panicked when they saw him and that some drivers fled, leaving machinery and equipment behind. He said he called the Rupnagar Deputy Commissioner, informed him about the alleged illegal mining, and requested officials be sent to the site. However, he claimed that no official arrived for a considerable time. Alleging large-scale irregularities, Channi said hundreds of tipper trucks carrying sand leave the site every day. Questioning the state government's claim of generating USD 2.1B annually from mining, Channi alleged the revenue from the operations does not reach the state exchequer but instead benefits Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and the Panjab Chief Minister. Concurrently, a technical assessment by the National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar found 19 existing overhead water tanks in Ludhiana unfit for rehabilitation. The structures will have to be demolished and reconstructed. This is a setback for the World Bank-funded Ludhiana’s 24x7 surface water supply project (earlier coverage).