In a decisive push to accelerate Odisha’s infrastructure boom, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Satyabrata Sahu chaired a high-level coordination meeting today, focusing on resolving forest-related hurdles and fast-tracking diversion proposals for critical projects.
The session, held in the Conference Hall of the Home Department, zeroed in on expeditious processing of forest diversions for major initiatives spearheaded by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Indian Railways, Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL), Geological Survey of India (GSI), and Reliance Jio Infocom Limited.
ACS Sahu reviewed the progress and timelines of these projects, building on decisions from a previous meeting in September. His scrutiny covered key developments flagged on the Prime Minister’s Grievance and Action Tracking Interface (PMG/PRAGATI) portals of the Central and State Governments, including those with forest-related challenges.
Among the spotlighted projects were the Capital Region Ring Road Project, the Goru–Mahisani New Railway Line of South Eastern Railway, Reliance Jio’s 4G-based Mobile Service Project, GSI’s Exploration Proposal, Steel Authority of India Limited’s (SAIL) Kalta Iron Ore Mines, OPTCL’s Transmission Line Projects, and Kalyani Steel Ltd’s Integrated Steel Plant Proposal.
Issuing firm directives, the ACS instructed all Regional Chief Conservators of Forests (RCCFs) and Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) to prioritise and expedite forest diversion proposals for these vital infrastructure endeavours. He urged them to proactively resolve any pending issues at their end, ensuring no bottlenecks impede momentum.
Nodal Officers received clear mandates to oversee monitoring, facilitation, and compliance across all stages, aiming to eliminate avoidable delays. User agencies were reminded to promptly furnish all requisite documents, maps, and enclosures to the relevant DFOs, thereby streamlining the approval process.
Sahu stressed the imperative of unwavering adherence to established timelines for forest diversion processing. He called for seamless collaboration among all involved departments and agencies to guarantee on-schedule project execution, underscoring the meeting’s role in Odisha’s broader development agenda.
The gathering saw participation from Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Nodal) Dr. K. Murugesan, Officer on Special Duty and Special Secretary of the Forest, Environment and Climate Change (FE&CC) Department Lingaraj Otta, OPTCL Chairman and Managing Director Bhaskar Jyoti Sharma, Chief Conservator of Forests (Nodal) A.K. Kar, and the Chief Engineer of Railways. All RCCFs and DFOs joined in person, while senior representatives from user agencies connected virtually.
This coordination effort signals Odisha’s commitment to balancing environmental stewardship with ambitious infrastructure goals, paving the way for timely advancements in connectivity, energy, mining, and telecommunications.
