Which of the following Ramsar site is NOT situated in Uttar Pradesh ?

The correct answer is D, Surinsar-Mansar Lakes. These two twin lakes lie in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir, not in Uttar Pradesh. They were designated a Ramsar site in 2005, which is why they often appear in lists of wetlands that look like UP sites.

The three options that are in UP are:

• Sur Sarovar (Keetham), Agra: a Ramsar site added in 2020, close to the Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary.
• Samaspur Bird Sanctuary, Rae Bareli: a Ramsar site added in 2020.
• Sarsai Nawar Jheel, Etawah: the correct name is Sarsai Nawar, and it is a Ramsar site in Uttar Pradesh, added in 2020.

The concept here is the Ramsar Convention (1971) and India's wetland designations under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017. For Mains GS-3 (environment and biodiversity), the lesson is that India's Ramsar count has grown quickly, so state-wise lists need updating. Since 2020 the number of UP Ramsar sites has increased, so check the current list before you rely on any older count.

Trap: aspirants pick Sur Sarovar or Samaspur because they are the most familiar UP wetlands, and then guess the answer without checking the states of the other options.