Quick answer: Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary covers about 682 sq km of the Kharagpur Hills in Bihar’s Munger district and is known for its hot springs. It is in the news because, as The Indian Express reported on 31 October 2026, the Bihar government wants to build tourism infrastructure inside the sanctuary, including a helipad, more than 100 cottages and event venues. This is despite wildlife-law restrictions and a Supreme Court order that bars construction in protected areas.
Why Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary is in the news
An Indian Express investigation published on 31 October 2026 reported that Bihar has proposed tourism infrastructure on more than 13 acres inside the sanctuary. The plan includes a helipad, over 100 cottages and houses, venues for weddings and conferences, and large market areas, with a proposed investment of about ₹62.9 crore.
There are two legal problems. Under wildlife law, commercial tourist lodges inside a sanctuary, including government lodges, need prior approval from the National Board for Wildlife. And in February 2023, the Supreme Court restrained construction inside tiger reserves, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries until further orders. The state’s own website had earlier described a smaller eco-tourism plan of about ₹54 crore for the site.
Key facts about Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary
- Location: It lies in the south-west of Munger district, near Haveli Kharagpur and about 56 km from Munger town.
- Area: About 682 sq km of the Kharagpur Hills. It was established in 1976.
- Setting: It is south of the Ganga, on the northern edge of the Chota Nagpur Plateau.
- Hot springs: The sanctuary has hot springs at Bhimbandh, Sita Kund and Rishi Kund. The Bhimbandh springs are the hottest, at about 52–65°C.
- Vegetation: Mainly sal (Shorea robusta) forest, with bamboo, grassland and mixed species.
- Fauna: Leopard, sloth bear, sambar, chital, four-horned antelope and nilgai, plus many resident and migratory birds.
Bihar’s main protected areas at a glance
| Protected area | District / region | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Valmiki National Park and Tiger Reserve | West Champaran, on the Nepal border | Bihar’s only national park and only notified tiger reserve. |
| Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary | Kaimur plateau, south-west Bihar | The state’s largest sanctuary. The Centre approved its development as Bihar’s second tiger reserve in 2024. |
| Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary | Bhagalpur | A stretch of the Ganga notified on 7 August 1991 to protect the Gangetic river dolphin. |
| Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary | Munger | Hot springs and sal forest in the Kharagpur Hills. |
| Kanwar Jheel (Kabartal) | Begusarai | An oxbow lake and Bihar’s first Ramsar site (2020). |
Legal framework: can you build inside a sanctuary?
- Section 29, Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972: Destroying wildlife or habitat in a sanctuary, or changing its water flow, needs a permit from the Chief Wildlife Warden. The permit is allowed only if the State, after consulting the National Board, finds the work is needed for better wildlife management.
- Section 33 (proviso): Hotels, zoos, safari parks and tourist lodges for commercial use, including government lodges (the wording added by the 2022 amendment), cannot be built inside a sanctuary without the prior approval of the National Board for Wildlife.
- Section 35: This covers national parks, and Section 35(8) extends the same construction rule to them.
- Supreme Court, eco-sensitive zones: In T.N. Godavarman, the Court ordered on 3 June 2022 that every protected area must have an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of at least 1 km. On 26 April 2023 it changed this order. The 1 km rule no longer applies where the environment ministry has notified an ESZ, and the blanket ban on activity was eased. Mining within 1 km of a protected area is still not allowed.
Exam angle: how NDA, CDS and CAPF can ask this
- Questions often ask you to match Bihar’s protected areas to their districts.
- The role of the National Board for Wildlife and the main sections of the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 are part of the polity-cum-environment syllabus.
- Eco-sensitive zones and the 1 km Supreme Court order often appear as statement-based questions.
Practice MCQs
Q1. Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary is located in which district of Bihar?
(a) Bhagalpur (b) Munger (c) West Champaran (d) Jamui
Answer: (b) — it lies in the Kharagpur Hills of south-west Munger.
Q2. Under the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972, building a commercial tourist lodge inside a sanctuary needs prior approval from
(a) the State Wildlife Board alone (b) the National Board for Wildlife (c) the NTCA (d) the District Collector
Answer: (b) — this is required by the proviso to Section 33.
Q3. Bihar’s only national park is
(a) Kaimur (b) Bhimbandh (c) Valmiki (d) Vikramshila
Answer: (c) — Valmiki is also the state’s only tiger reserve.
Q4. Bihar’s first Ramsar site was
(a) Nagi Dam (b) Kanwar Jheel (c) Nakti Dam (d) Kharagpur Lake
Answer: (b) — Kanwar Jheel in Begusarai was designated in 2020.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary famous for?
It is famous for its natural hot springs at Bhimbandh, Sita Kund and Rishi Kund, and for its sal forests in the Kharagpur Hills of Munger.
What tourism project has Bihar proposed in Bhimbandh?
The Indian Express reported a plan for a helipad, over 100 cottages and houses, wedding and conference venues and markets on more than 13 acres inside the sanctuary, worth about ₹62.9 crore.
Why is construction inside a sanctuary restricted?
Section 33 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act requires prior approval from the National Board for Wildlife for commercial lodges and hotels. A February 2023 Supreme Court order also restrained construction in protected areas.
What is an eco-sensitive zone?
It is a buffer area around a protected area where activities are regulated. In 2022 the Supreme Court set a default width of 1 km, and in 2023 it relaxed that order.
Also read on NCA: Gangetic river dolphin | Talacauvery Wildlife Sanctuary | Monthly defence current affairs PDFs | CAPF coaching in Chandigarh
Sources: The Indian Express (Daily Briefing, 31 Oct 2026), Government of Bihar, MoEFCC wildlife clearance guidelines, Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act 2022 (PRS), SCC Online on ESZ order. Facts as reported up to 1 November 2026.
