Supreme Court orders probe into illegal construction at Satkosia Tiger Reserve amid zero buffer zone controversy, raising concerns over wildlife protection, eco-sensitive zones, and tourism-driven projects in Odisha.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Union Government, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), the Odisha state government, and other authorities in response to a petition challenging provisional No Objection Certificates (NOCs) granted for tourism and construction projects within and around the Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Odisha.
The petition, filed by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, seeks an immediate halt to these activities, alleging violations of environmental and wildlife protection laws. It warns of the potential ecological disaster posed by unchecked tourism infrastructure in this critical tiger habitat, which was notified as a tiger reserve in 2007.
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Covering 1,136.70 sq. km, the Satkosia Tiger Reserve includes the Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary and Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary, divided by the majestic Mahanadi River. It serves as a haven for endangered species such as:
- Asian Elephant
- Gharial
- Mugger Crocodile
Recognized as a Ramsar site, Satkosia is celebrated for its aquatic ecosystems and rich avian biodiversity, making it a cornerstone in India’s biodiversity conservation strategy.
The plea argues that District Collectors of Angul, Nayagarh, Boudh, and Cuttack illegally issued provisional NOCs for several projects, including:
- A high-level bridge across the Mahanadi River
- Commercial hotels and luxury resorts
These projects allegedly lack mandatory approvals from:
- Chief Wildlife Warden
- National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
Moreover, the petition flags a major compliance gap, the absence of a final Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the reserve. While the Odisha draft ESZ controversially suggests a “zero” buffer zone near the ecologically sensitive Satkosia Gorge, NTCA’s 2018 guidelines mandate at least a 1-km buffer.
“State agencies are undermining critical safeguards under forest, wildlife, and environmental laws through unauthorised constructions and a tourism-driven model that disregards conservation mandates,”
Mr Bansal argued in the plea.
Mr. Bansal contends that Odisha’s authorities are bypassing critical safeguards under forest, wildlife, and environmental laws. He alleges that the state is promoting a tourism-centric model, violating:
- NTCA’s 2012 eco-tourism guidelines
- MoEFCC’s 2021 eco-tourism norms, which stress low-impact tourism and prohibit permanent structures in protected zones
This apparent shift from conservation to commercialization could severely impact wildlife corridors, water systems, and even threaten the site’s Ramsar status.
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