New Delhi: The Supreme Court has sought responses from the central and state governments on plea against alleged proposed constructions inside Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Odisha.
The petitioner, advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, has sought for quashing provisional No Objection Certificates (NOC) issued by district collectors of Angul, Nayagarh, Boudh and Cuttack for development works inside and around the tiger reserve while raising concerns over unchecked expansion of tourism infrastructure in the ecologically-sensitive area.
A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria took note of the submissions of the petitioner while also asking the response of a central empowered committee.
Spanning 1,136.70 sq km across the districts of Angul, Cuttack, Nayagarh and Boudh, the reserve encompasses the Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary and Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary, divided by the Mahanadi River. It is a crucial habitat for tigers, elephants, and several endangered species.
The petitioner argued that the provisional NOCs were granted without jurisdiction and in violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, besides forest and environmental laws. While NTCA’s 2018 directive mandates a minimum 1 km buffer from core tiger habitat wherever the buffer is absent or disjunct, Odisha’s draft ESZ proposal for Satkosia includes stretches with “zero” buffer zones, notably near the Satkosia Gorge, endangering aquatic species, he said.
“Recognised as a Ramsar site, it supports rare aquatic and avian biodiversity. In 2016, a fishing ban was imposed to protect Gharials, demonstrating its fragile ecosystem. However, the absence of a notified Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) leaves it vulnerable to external threats,” he further stated.
He also mentioned that the proposal permits commercial hotels and resorts, contradicting conservation goals. “Additionally, a High-Level Bridge over the Mahanadi River is being planned without environmental clearances, exploiting the lack of an ESZ. DCs have illegally issued NOCs for tourism infrastructure within the reserve, bypassing statutory authorities like the Chief Wildlife Warden and NTCA,” he added in the plea.
Bansal dubbed the Odisha government’s actions as a deliberate shift from conservation to commercialisation.