With reference to the Bhitarkanika National Park, consider the following statements. 1. It is under severe threat due to the planned diversion of freshwater from the Brahmani river basin. 2. It has the second-largest mangrove forest in India and is a Ramsar site. 3. It is located in the Assam state of India. Which of the statement/s given above is/are correct?

the correct answer is 1 and 2 only. In News: ​Odisha’s Bhitarkanika National Park is under severe threat due to the planned diversion of freshwater from the Brahmani river basin. Hence, statement 1 is correct. Key Points Bhitarkanika National Park: It has the second-largest mangrove forest in India and is a Ramsar site. Hence, statement 2 is correct. It is located in the Kendrapara district of Odisha. Hence, statement 3 is not correct. It was declared as a Bhitarkanika National Park in the year of 1988. Bhitarkanika is located in the estuary of Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra, and Mahanadi river systems. It is one of Odisha’s finest biodiversity hotspots and is famous for its mangroves, migratory birds, turtles, estuarine crocodiles, and countless creeks. It is said to house 70% of the country’s estuarine or saltwater crocodiles, conservation of which was started way back in 1975. River Brahmani: It is a river in northeastern Odisha state, eastern India. Formed by the confluence of the Sankh and South Koel rivers in southern Bihar state, the Brahmani flows for 300 miles. It winds generally south-southeast past Bonaigarh and Talcher and then turns east to join northern branches of the Mahanadi River, which then empties into the Bay of Bengal at Palmyras Point. It is one of the few rivers that cut across the Eastern Ghats, and it has formed a minor gorge at Rengali, where a dam has been built.