Will Similipal National Park Finally Get Eco-Sensitive Zone Status? Ongoing Delays Raise Concerns

Ongoing Uncertainty Surrounding Similipal National Park

Baripada: The proposal to designate the areas surrounding Similipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) remains in limbo, despite the Forest department's persistent efforts to advance the initiative under the Environment Protection Act of 1986. The Baripada forest division had put forth a plan to establish a restricted zone within a 0-5 km radius of the protected forest, but progress has stalled due to a lack of feedback from the state government. Sources indicate that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has requested the state government to provide clarification regarding the buffer zone of the Similipal sanctuary, yet no formal communication has been received. Consequently, there has been a noticeable increase in unregulated settlements and illegal activities in areas designated for environmental protection.

Forest officials have emphasized that the goal is to mitigate human activities that could jeopardize the ecosystem and safeguard the biodiversity surrounding the national park. In January 2019, a draft notification was released proposing the establishment of a 1,765.29 sq km eco-sensitive zone encompassing the Similipal and Hadagarh wildlife sanctuaries, suggesting a boundary extending from 0-10 km from the protected areas. However, following legal challenges in the Orissa High Court, the proposed ESZ was reduced to a 0-5 km radius. Local residents had approached the Supreme Court, seeking to limit activities within a 0-1 km radius of the area in question. In response, the previous state government submitted documentation to the court advocating for the area to be designated as an ESZ. The Supreme Court, however, requested clarification on the rationale for declaring this specific zone eco-sensitive. As the case remains pending, reports indicate that illegal stone quarries and crushers continue to operate within the proposed eco-sensitive zones around Similipal.

Currently, over 50 unauthorized stone crusher units and more than 100 illegal quarries are reportedly functioning between Thakurmunda at the foothills of Similipal and Bangiriposhi in Mayurbhanj district. Forest officials noted that the intention behind declaring the area as an ESZ was to curtail illegal activities such as mining, stone quarrying, and the establishment of polluting industries. The Forest department aimed to utilize this declaration to combat unlawful practices, given the ecological sensitivity of the region. However, certain individuals and groups with vested interests have opposed the initiative.

Furthermore, despite the passage of six years, no final notification has been issued. The MoEF&CC has stated that it is awaiting a definitive response from the state government. Environmental experts have voiced concerns regarding the ongoing delays. Importantly, the proposed ESZ declaration does not entail the displacement or relocation of local communities, and agricultural activities in the area will remain unaffected. When reached for comment, former wildlife warden and independent director of the Odisha Forest Development Corporation, Bhanumitra Acharya, expressed that a swift clarification from the state government to the Supreme Court could facilitate the establishment of the ESZ as a protective measure for Similipal.