On World Environment Day, 5 June 2026, the Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary, better known as Surha Tal, in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, was designated India's 100th Ramsar site, a milestone reached just weeks before Glaw Lake in Arunachal Pradesh became the country's 101st. Surha Tal is an oxbow lake located in Mairitar, Ballia, with a maximum length of 4.7 km and a maximum width of 3.9 km, covering a surface area of 34.32 square kilometres.

The wetland's primary inflows are the Garai River, the Budhi River, and Madha Nala, while Kathar Nala serves as its primary outlet, ultimately draining into the river Ganges. Surha Tal is exceptionally rich in avifaunal biodiversity, drawing large numbers of migratory and resident birds, and carries deep local historical, religious, and traditional significance in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

With Surha Tal's designation, India crossed the milestone century of Ramsar sites, giving the country more internationally recognised wetlands than any other nation in Asia, and placing it third globally, trailing only the United Kingdom, with 176 sites, and Mexico, with 144. Surha Tal itself became the 13th Ramsar site located within Uttar Pradesh alone, reflecting the state's own outsized share of India's wider wetland network.