Soor Sarovar to expand to 800 hectares, UP govt tells NGT
Agra: The State govt has accelerated the expansion of the Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary in Agra, advancing the completion date to May 2026—more than a year ahead of its initial 2027 target.
This follows pressure from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to expedite compliance with a 2022 Supreme Court order mandating the sanctuary's enlargement to 800 hectares.
In an affidavit submitted to the NGT on Thursday, chief conservator of forest N Ravindra confirmed that 380.5 hectares from the Surdas Reserve Forest Block have already been integrated into the sanctuary. An additional 14.5 hectares, currently under the irrigation department, will be added by May 1, 2026.
Following the expansion, the government will designate the entire area as an eco-sensitive zone.
The NGT bench, comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad, was hearing a petition filed by Agra-based environmentalist Dr Sharad Gupta. He approached the tribunal after authorities failed to act on the Supreme Court's directive.
The tribunal has instructed the district magistrate of Agra, Arvind Malappa Bhangari, and the chief conservator of forest to file a progress report by affidavit at least one week before the next hearing, scheduled for Sept 25.
Declared a bird sanctuary in 1991 and named after the Braj Bhasha poet Soordas, Soor Sarovar encompasses the 2.52-square-kilometre Keetham Lake and supports diverse wildlife, including hundreds of bird species, aquatic plants, reptiles, and over 300 pythons. It also houses a sloth bear shelter and an elephant hospital.
Located along the Agra-Delhi highway just outside Taj city, the sanctuary gained international recognition as a Ramsar site in Nov 2020. Dr Gupta said he hopes the NGT's directive will ensure the official declaration of the full 800 hectares as both sanctuary and eco-sensitive zone.
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