The Government of India has formally declared an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan’s ancient Aravalli mountain range. The notification, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on January 15, 2026, designates the area extending from zero to one kilometre beyond the sanctuary’s boundary — covering approximately 243 square kilometres and encompassing 94 villages. This marks a significant step in habitat conservation, ecological balance and natural capital protection in one of India’s most fragile ecosystems.
The Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary spans parts of Udaipur, Pali and Rajsamand districts and supports a broad range of wildlife, including leopards, striped hyenas, jungle cats, Indian pangolins, blue bulls and chinkaras, alongside numerous avian species. The Aravalli range — one of the oldest geological formations on the Indian subcontinent — is under mounting ecological stress due to human activity and landscape fragmentation. The ESZ designation establishes a “buffer zone” aimed at limiting high-impact activities close to these critical habitats.
Under the new rules, several environmentally hazardous operations are prohibited within the ESZ. These include commercial mining, stone quarrying and crushing units, brick kilns, and the establishment of new polluting industries or expansion of existing ones. In addition, the erection of new windmills and large-scale construction of commercial hotels and resorts within one kilometre of the sanctuary is restricted, while traditional livelihoods such as agriculture and horticulture remain permissible under regulatory oversight.
The notification also outlines guidelines to regulate vehicular traffic at night, protect hill slopes and river banks, and control other activities that may disturb wildlife movement or contribute to habitat degradation. By limiting disruptive land uses and reinforcing environmental safeguards, the ESZ designation aims to maintain ecological corridors and water catchment functions that are vital for the region’s biodiversity and downstream water systems.
The declaration process began months earlier, with a draft notification published in mid-2025, inviting public objections and inputs as part of stakeholder engagement. The Rajasthan state government had initially proposed the ESZ in 2020, reflecting long-standing recognition of the area’s environmental significance. The MoEFCC has also formed a monitoring committee to ensure compliance with the ESZ guidelines and implement sustainable development measures across the buffer zone.
Strategic significance lies in the ESZ’s potential to align ecological preservation with community livelihoods and local governance frameworks. For businesses and investors, the restrictions underscore heightened compliance expectations for land use, tourism infrastructure and extractive industries within ecologically sensitive regions. For communities, the ESZ promotes sustainable practices — such as organic farming and agroforestry — while safeguarding natural resources that underpin long-term economic resilience. The notification reinforces India’s broader environmental policy objectives under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, positioning natural capital stewardship as a core pillar of sustainable growth and rural development
