
Chandigarh stands highest among the best-performing Union Territories in India in terms of protecting areas, as per the just-released Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) Report 2020–25 of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The report released by Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav at the Indian Conservation Conference (ICCON) 2025, held in Dehradun, ranked the management effectiveness in 438 National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in the nation.
Out of 438 protected areas evaluated
The MEE report is an important barometer to gauge India's efforts towards biodiversity conservation and protected area management. Chandigarh, standing atop the Union Territory ranking, demonstrates its priority and commitment toward ecological management, and it should serve as an example for others.
Chandigarh's protected areas have provided a national benchmark of performance in management, as determined in the MEE Report 2020–25. It is evidence of the city's commitment to conservation, strong management practices, and model protected area governance in India.