Nayagarh/Bhapur: Greenery at Jagannath Vana Prakalpa in Pithakhai reserve forest under Nayagarh forest division is gradually declining due to lack of care and rampant timber smuggling. The project was aimed at supplying logs to the construction of chariots in Puri.
Valuable trees like arjuna, fasi and kadamba are gradually losing their existence. Lovers of Jagannath culture pointed out that the rate at which the forest is shrinking days are not far when supplying wood for the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra would be impossible.
They alleged that the purpose of undertaking Jagannath Vana Prakalpa has been defeated, thanks to lack of new plantation and maintenance.
Reports said Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb had laid the foundation stone for the ambitious project in Pithakhai reserve forest under Fatehgarh panchayat July 17, 2000.
Saplings of arjuna, fasi and kadamba were planted in 30 hectare land in Pithakhai reserve forest spreading over 318 hectares.
The state government and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) had taken up similar green initiatives at different places in the state keeping in view the requirement of wood for chariots for the next 50 to 70 years.
Meanwhile, 22 years have passed since Jagannath Vana Prakalpa in Bhapur block was executed, but the project is yet to see any new plantation when many trees are dying natural death.
Making things worse, some people chop off trees and cart them away from the forest.
Surprisingly, there is no official record as to how many trees are surviving in the forest and how many have been damaged.
Environmentalist Dillip Srichandan said tree species like gambhari, fasi, dhaura and asana are required for chariot construction. “Jagannath forest projects were initiated in various parts of the state, but such projects are on way to depletion due to lack of maintenance. Trenches were not dug up around the projects to prevent timber smuggling while no new saplings were planted in place of damaged or cut-off trees as a compensatory move. Moreover, no survey was conducted on soil conducive for growth of certain species of trees. Altogether 97 such projects across the state are in bad shape,” he lamented.
Antaryami Sahu, aka Gachha Sir, said most of these projects exist in information plaques only. He added that there is need for planting flower and fruit trees around these projects.
Another environmentalist Pabitra Subudhi said the Forest department has failed to act against some timber mafia, who are destroying the Jagannath Vana Prakalpa.
He added that locals should be involved and partnered in the forest protection.