GREATER NOIDA, Sept. 10 -- In a significant development, the Uttar Pradesh government on September 4 told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it is "bound to declare" Dhanauri as a wetland, even as the tribunal directed all concerned authorities to ensure the fragile site is "protected and preserved" in the interim.

The submission marks a significant moment for Dhanauri, a drying wetland in Greater Noida that serves as a critical habitat for the Sarus crane - the tallest flying bird in the world, listed as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). India is home to the largest Sarus population globally, most of them in Uttar Pradesh, where the bird is also the state symbol.

The assurance from UP govern...