Press Trust of India
Berhampur, July 23: Wildlife activists have opposed the proposed grid sub-station of the state-owned Orissa Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (OPTCL) at Bhetanai, saying it would pose a serious threat to blackbucks, an endangered animal sighted in Ganjam district.
The OPTCL has proposed to construct the grid sub-station (220/132/33KV) over around 12 acres of land at Bhetanai to stabilise power supply from Bhanjanagar to Aska, an official said.
“The land is now used by blackbucks and cattle in the area. The forest department has also developed grasses in the area as herds of blackbucks visit there. Construction of any sub-station in the area will definitely disturb the habitat of blackbucks and we strongly oppose the proposal,” president of Ganjam District Blackbuck Protection Committee Amulya Upadhaya said.
He said they had vented their grievances to the district administration as well as the Chief Wildlife Warden. Chief Wildlife Warden SS Srivastav had also in a letter to the district collector in August last year suggested to take into consideration the habitat of blackbucks, a Scheduled-1 animal under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, Upadhaya claimed.
“We have asked the sub-collector of Bhanjanagar and the divisional forest officer of Ghumusar South to conduct a joint survey on the land and ascertain the impact on blackbuck habitat,” additional district magistrate (revenue) Sitanshu Rout said. “We’ll take a decision after getting the joint report,” the ADM added. While blackbucks, sighted earlier in Balukhanda in Puri district had vanished, the population of the animal has increased to 3,806 in Ganjam district by March 2015. Most of the animals were sighted in Balipadara-Bhetanai area under Buguda forest range (1239), officials said.