New Delhi, Jun 11 (IANS): With an aim to push for more wetlands to be given international recognition, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav met Ramsar Convention Secretary General Martha Rojus Urrego in Geneva.

Yadav, who also holds charge as the Union Minister For Labour and Employment, is in Geneva to attend the International Labour Conference (ILC).

India already has 49 Ramsar Sites, wetlands of international importance, and now, it is pushing for 26 more.

"Met with Ramsar Convention on Wetlands Secretary General Ms @martharojasu1 to discuss India's proposed designation of wetlands of international importance as part of #AzadiKaAmritMahotsav.(sic)," Yadav said in a tweet after his meeting late Friday night.

"This would place nearly one-tenth of India's known wetland regime into the international network. The governnment is aiming at 75 wetlands to get Ramsar tag in India's 75th year of independence," the Minister added.

These wetlands of international importance are called Ramsar Sites in commemoration of the Convention on Wetlands that took place in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar.

The 26 wetlands that await the Ramsar tag include Pala wetland (Mizoram); Satkosia Gorge, Tampara Lake, Hirakud Reservoir & Ansupa Lake (Odisha); Sirpur wetland, Sakhya Sagar & Yashwant Sagar (Madhya Pradesh), Thane Creek (Maharashtra); Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve & Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve (Jammu & Kashmir); Ranganathituu Bird Sanctuary (Karnataka), and Nanda Lake (Goa).

Tamil Nadu has lined up the maximum: Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary, Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary, Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex, Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary, Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary, Vellode Bird Sanctuary, Vembannur Wetland Complex, Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve, Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary, Pichavaram Mangrove, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Karikili Bird Sanctuary & Pallikaranai Marsh.