The 12th meeting of the Standing Committee of the State Board for Wildlife took place today at the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department’s conference hall in Kharvel Bhawan.
The meeting was chaired by Odisha’s Minister for Forest, Environment & Climate Change, Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia. This specialized committee operates under the mandate of Section 6(A) of the Wildlife (Protection) (Amendment) Act, 2022, which was established to ensure that issues related to wildlife conservation and essential regional development are examined with increased frequency and technical rigor.
During the session, the committee reviewed a total of six development proposals. Three of these proposals focus on transformative irrigation infrastructure, located within the Angul and Mayurbhanj districts. These projects are designed to provide reliable irrigation facilities to rural agricultural areas. By ensuring stable water access for local farmers, these initiatives are expected to play a crucial role in the socio-economic upliftment of surrounding village populations, bridging the gap between environmental stewardship and rural prosperity.
The remaining three proposals address the critical need for public health infrastructure through safe drinking water supply projects. These initiatives specifically target remote settlements within the Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary, Simlipal Wildlife Sanctuary, and Chandaka Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary, along with their adjoining villages.
After thorough discussion and deliberation, the committee officially recommended all six proposals for approval by the Chairman of the State Board for Wildlife, the Chief Minister of Odisha. Once approved by the Chief Minister, these projects will be forwarded to the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife, Government of India, for final consideration and onward transmission.
The meeting was attended by MLA (Bhatli) Irasis Acharya, Principal Secretary of the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, Odisha, Bhaskar Jyoti Sharma, PCCF and Head of Forest Force Dr K. Murugesan, PCCF (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden Prem Kumar Jha, along with other committee members who contributed to the discussions.
