Agra: After a six-year legal battle, the protected area of Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary in Agra has been expanded by nearly 395 hectares to 798.2 hectares.
Uttar Pradesh govt has also withdrawn its earlier decision to keep the sanctuary’s eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) at zero.
Under a notification issued by state govt, 14.5 hectares of govt land have been included in the sanctuary. Its expanded area comprises the original 403.1 hectares, the 380.5-hectare Surdas forest block and the newly included govt land. Govt also withdrew its Dec 27, 2024, gazette notification, under which land had been added to the sanctuary but its ESZ was reduced to zero.
The move followed a petition filed before NGT by environmentalist Dr Sharad Gupta against the reduction in the sanctuary’s protected area. After the tribunal scrutinised the matter and issued directions, state govt issued a revised notification. A compliance report and affidavit filed before National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday by UP chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Sanjio Kumar confirmed the expansion and other measures taken following the tribunal’s intervention. TOI accessed the documents on Friday.
The dispute dates to 2018, when Centre issued a draft notification stating that the sanctuary would cover around 800 hectares. However, the final gazette notification, issued on Oct 10, 2019, reduced its area to 403 hectares. Gupta subsequently moved Supreme Court , which in 2022 directed the inclusion of the 380.5-hectare Surdas Reserve Forest block and an additional 14.5 hectares of govt land in the sanctuary. After the directions were not implemented, Gupta approached NGT in 2023. “After six years of legal struggle, nearly 395 hectares of additional forest area has received protection.
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This will strengthen the green cover around Agra and provide an important environmental buffer for future generations,” Gupta said. Download the TOI App.