The Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected haven along the scenic Puri-Konark Marine Drive, is facing severe pollution from plastic and polythene waste, largely due to uncontrolled picnicking by tourists.
Environmentalists have expressed deep concern, warning that the litter is proving fatal to wildlife, particularly the sanctuary’s large population of blackbucks.
Spanning 87 square kilometres on both sides of the marine drive, the sanctuary is home to diverse wildlife, with blackbucks being the most prominent species. Despite existing bans on picnics, plastic use, and littering within the protected area, enforcement remains weak. Tourists visiting Puri and Konark freely enter the sanctuary for picnics, often leaving behind polythene bags and plastic waste.
Animals foraging for food mistake the waste for edible material, ingest it, fall ill, and die. The scattered litter also disrupts the sanctuary’s serene, natural environment, with wind carrying plastic across the forest.
Environmentalists are demanding immediate action: strict restrictions on picnics (limited to designated spots), rigorous enforcement of plastic bans, regular clean-up drives involving local forest committees and volunteers, formation of monitoring squads, and penalties for violators.
The nearby Talabania forest in Puri has also turned into an illegal dumping ground for household and construction waste, further exacerbating pollution and threatening blackbucks.
Puri Forest Division officer Magar Dhanji Raosaheb responded: “Waste accumulation in Balukhand Sanctuary is increasing. We are preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and will engage an agency to clean the entire stretch from Puri to Konark. Awareness campaigns, signage, dustbins, and fines for violators are planned. Similar steps will be taken for the Talabania forest in coordination with the Puri Municipality.”
Environmentalist and social activist Soumya Ranjan Sahu added, “The rising plastic and polythene waste in Balukhand and Talabania forests is heartbreaking. We conduct clean-up drives every Sunday, but the damage to the natural ecosystem and wildlife—especially blackbucks dying from ingesting waste—is immense. With peak picnic season underway, litter is piling up unchecked, destroying the environment and endangering animal lives.”
