Sangetsar Tso

Why in the News?

Recently, there has been a growing demand to recognise Sangetsar Tso, a high-altitude lake in Arunachal Pradesh, as a Ramsar site. At the same time, the lake is facing serious environmental threats due to incessant silt deposition and littering. If left unaddressed, active siltation may gradually destroy the lake through sediment accumulation and deposition of non-degradable waste.

About Sangetsar Tso:

• Sangetsar Tso, earlier known as Shonga-tser Lake, is a high-altitude lake in Arunachal Pradesh.
• It is situated on the Tawang-Bum La Pass route in Tawang district.
• The lake lies close to the Indo-China border, adding to its strategic and geographical significance.
• It is located at an elevation of about 3,708 metres (12,165 feet) above mean sea level, making it one of the prominent high-altitude lakes of the Eastern Himalayas.
• It is an important habitat for many rare migratory birds in Tawang district.
• The lake appeared in the Bollywood movie ‘Koyla’ and is also known as ‘Madhuri Lake’.
• It has a very special place in the hearts of Buddhists from both India, nearby Tibet and Bhutan who come here every year to pray.
• Sangetsar Tso lies within the basin of the Taktsang Chu River, which flows through the region.
  • The Taktsang Chu originates below the Takpo Shiri Glacier to the north of the lake. After originating, the river flows westwards and then southwestwards through the area.
  • It ultimately joins the Nyamjang Chu river about 8 miles (approximately 13 km) downstream.
• Sangetsar Tso was formed due to a natural obstruction along the river’s course.
• The lake was created when falling rocks, boulders, and uprooted trees, triggered by an earthquake, blocked the river flow, leading to the formation of the lake.

Threats to Sangetsar Tso:

• Primarily, active silt deposition is occurring due to earth-cutting activities in the surrounding areas.
• Additionally, reckless littering by tourists, visitors, and roadside restaurants is degrading the lake ecosystem.
• Consequently, microorganisms that form the primary food source for birds are being damaged, threatening the lake’s ecological integrity.

Significance of Sangetsar Tso:

• Ecologically, conservation of the lake is crucial for maintaining the local ecological balance of the high-altitude Himalayan region.
• Moreover, Sangetsar Tso serves as an important wintering and breeding habitat for several migratory bird species, including:
  • Ruddy shelduck
  • White-throated dipper
  • White-throated redstart
  • White-winged redstart
  • Goldcrest

Way Forward:

• Firstly, a meticulous mitigation plan supported by expert ecological intervention is essential to preserve the lake’s biological significance.
• Secondly, local tour operators, guides, and taxi drivers should actively sensitise visitors against littering in this ecologically sensitive zone.
• Furthermore, development initiatives must go hand in hand with conservation principles.
• Finally, all development schemes should integrate mitigation measures, with priority given to scientific waste management and proper disposal systems.

Additional info:

• At present, Glaw Lake in Lohit district has been proposed as a Ramsar site, and the proposal is under active consideration.

What is the Ramsar Convention?

• The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an international treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands through local, national, and international cooperation.
• The convention was adopted and signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. It entered into force in 1975.
• India joined in 1982, and there have been 96 Ramsar sites since 1986.

Key Principles of the Ramsar Convention:

• Wise Use Principle – Sustainable utilization without ecosystem degradation.
• Site Designation – Identification of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites).
• International Cooperation – Especially for transboundary wetlands.

What are the Objectives of the Ramsar Convention?

• Conservation and wise use of wetlands.
• Recognition of wetlands as ecologically critical ecosystems.
• Protection of biodiversity, water security, and livelihoods.
• Promotion of international cooperation on shared wetlands.

What are the Criteria for Ramsar Site Designation?

Wetlands must meet at least one of the following:

• Representative, rare, or unique wetland types.
• Supports vulnerable, endangered, and critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities.
• Supports the population of plants/animal species crucial for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region.
• Supports populations of plant and animal species at a critical stage in their life cycle.
• Regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds
• Regularly supports 1% population of a waterbird species
• Supports significant portions of indigenous fish subspecies, species, or families, as well as their life history stages, species interactions, and populations that are representative of the benefits of wetlands and contribute to global biodiversity.
• An important source of food for fish, a spawning ground, a nursery, and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend.
• Regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian animal species.

Prelims Practice Question:

Q. With reference to Sangetsar Tso, consider the following statements:

1. It is a high-altitude lake situated on the Tawang–Bum La Pass route in Arunachal Pradesh, near the Indo-China border.
2. The lake lies in the basin of the Taktsang Chu River, which ultimately joins the Nyamjang Chu River.
3. Sangetsar Tso is a glacial lake formed directly due to the melting of the Takpo Shiri Glacier.
4. It holds religious significance for Buddhists from India, Tibet, and Bhutan.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1, 2, and 4 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, and 4

Correct Answer: (a)

Source: Arunachal Times

Date: 31/12/2025

Syllabus: Prelims, GS 1, GS 3