Okhla Bird Sanctuary, a protected wetland famous for migratory and resident birds along the Yamuna River, is located in which Indian state?

Introduction / Context:
Okhla Bird Sanctuary is an important urban wetland and bird habitat situated along the Yamuna River near the Delhi National Capital Region. Because of its location at the boundary of different administrative regions, students sometimes get confused about which state it belongs to. This question checks whether you know the correct state in which Okhla Bird Sanctuary is officially located.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The protected area is Okhla Bird Sanctuary. • It lies near Delhi on the banks of the Yamuna River. • Options include Rajasthan, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. • We assume current administrative boundaries and notifications.

Concept / Approach:
Okhla Bird Sanctuary is situated near the Okhla barrage on the Yamuna and falls within the Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, close to Noida. Although the sanctuary directly borders Delhi and is frequented by residents of Delhi, its legal and administrative location is in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The other options are geographically distant and do not match the known location along the Yamuna near Delhi.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Okhla Bird Sanctuary is associated with Noida and the Okhla barrage, which are part of the National Capital Region. Step 2: Identify Noida and Gautam Buddh Nagar district as being in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Step 3: Recognise that although the sanctuary is adjacent to Delhi, the land itself lies on the Uttar Pradesh side of the river. Step 4: Compare options and rule out Rajasthan, West Bengal and Maharashtra, which are far from Delhi and the specific stretch of the Yamuna where the sanctuary lies. Step 5: Conclude that Uttar Pradesh is the correct state for Okhla Bird Sanctuary.

Verification / Alternative check:
Official environment ministry and state forest department documents list Okhla Bird Sanctuary under the jurisdiction of Uttar Pradesh. Various environmental reports refer to it as located in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh. Media reports on pollution and conservation measures in the sanctuary also describe it as a protected area of Uttar Pradesh within the National Capital Region, confirming this administrative location.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Rajasthan is a north western state and home to other bird sanctuaries such as Keoladeo in Bharatpur, but Okhla Bird Sanctuary is not situated there. West Bengal lies in eastern India and has wetlands like East Kolkata Wetlands but does not host Okhla Bird Sanctuary. Maharashtra is located in western India and has its own wildlife sanctuaries but is not connected to the Okhla stretch of the Yamuna near Delhi.

Common Pitfalls:
Because the sanctuary is near Delhi and often visited by people from Delhi, some candidates incorrectly assume that it falls under the National Capital Territory instead of Uttar Pradesh. Another mistake is confusing Okhla with other bird sanctuaries whose names are less obviously linked to a specific city. Remember that Okhla barrage and Noida are both on the Uttar Pradesh side, which fixes the sanctuary in that state.

Final Answer:
Okhla Bird Sanctuary is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh.