Bengal shrinks Mahananda sanctuary eco-sensitive zone from 5km to 1km
Times of India | 16 July 2026
Siliguri: Bengal govt has decided to shrink the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary from 5 km to 1 km. Announcing the decision on Wednesday, state forest minister Manoj Oraon assured that environmental protection and wildlife conservation will not be compromised with. He also issued a stern warning against corruption within the department, saying the govt will follow a “zero tolerance” policy.
Asked whether the radius rule held significance for all protected areas in the state, a senior forester said there was no uniform radius for ESZ around a PA in Bengal. . After Wednesday’s announcement, however, there is no clarity if the 1-km radius will now be made uniform, said sources.
Another forester said that a 5-km radius around Mahananda was brought under the ESZ 5-6 years ago. “As a result, parts of Siliguri, Dabgram, Salugara and Sukna came within the zone. For this, development work has taken a hit “ he added.
“Our govt is not looking only at the interests of people or only at wildlife. We are committed to strike a balance between the two. The earlier 5-km ESZ had created serious legal obstacles for both public and private infrastructure projects in and around Siliguri and other adjoining areas. Keeping people’s concerns in mind, we have decided to reduce the proposed ESZ to 1 km,” Oraon said after a meeting at the Siliguri State Guest House. He said the decision had been taken under the direction of CM Suvendu Adhikari.
Environmentalists, however, have urged the state govt to ensure that the reduction in the ESZ area does not come at the cost of biodiversity.
Animesh Basu, secretary of the Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation, said that while easing development restrictions was important, the protection of forests and wildlife must remain the govt’s priority.
Responding to these concerns, Oraon assured that the final framework would be prepared only after considering all ecological aspects.
The minister also announced that, as part of the ongoing ‘Aranya Saptaha’ celebrations, the state has increased its plantation target to seven crore saplings this year.