The Environment Ministry has issued a draft notification declaring 408.7 sq km around the Barasingha wildlife sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ).

ESZs are areas notified by the ministry around protected areas, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries to create "shock absorbers" for these areas by regulating and managing activities in the region.

The State Animal Barasingha Wildlife Sanctuary is located across five districts in Uttar Pradesh: Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Hapur, Bijnor, and Amroha.

"Initially the sanctuary encompassed an area of 2,073 sq km, which was later rationalised to 1,159.16 sq km," said the notification, which was issued on April 16 and published on Saturday.

The sanctuary has diverse wildlife fauna which includes 41 species of mammals, 373 species of birds, 36 species of reptiles, 10 species of amphibians, and 79 species of fishes.

It also hosts more than 280 plant species, including 81 medicinal plant species, according to the notification.

The ESZ area of 408.7 sq km comprises 138.71 sq km in Muzaffarnagar, 155.02 sq km in Bijnor, 46.35 sq km in Amroha, 18.35 sq km in Hapur, and 50.04 sq km in Meerut.

A total of 307 villages fall within the ESZ of the State Animal Barasingha Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Environment Ministry has invited comments from stakeholders for a period of 60 days, according to the notification.

Published on April 21, 2026