Bhubaneswar: State Wildlife Board Friday cleared 14 key infrastructure development proposals related to forest and non-forest land use and forwarded them to National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) for the final approval. This was revealed during the 10th meeting of the Standing Committee of the State Wildlife Board held in the Forest, Environment and Climate Change department conference hall at Kharavela Bhawan here Friday. Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia, who is also the chairman of the Standing Committee of the State Wildlife Board, presided over the meeting. The minister said the department would never be a barrier to initiatives aimed at the welfare and development of the people. In the meeting, a review was conducted on the previous proposals approved in the ninth meeting held December 28, 2023.
The 10th meeting revealed that four major proposals had been sent to the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) and were subsequently approved. These projects are: Installation of mobile towers under 4G Saturation Project in Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts, development of a Ro-Pax Jetty at Talchua in Kendrapara, and laying of optical fiber cable through Karlapat Sanctuary in Kalahandi. The meeting also considered 14 new proposals related to forest and non-forest land diversions for essential infrastructure projects, including laying of optical fiber cables, installation of mobile towers, and pipelines in various wildlife sanctuaries and tiger reserves such as Satkosia, Hadgarh, Sunabeda, and Chandaka Dampara.
These proposals, aimed at augmenting digital connectivity, water supply, and infrastructure development in remote areas, were cleared by the State Wildlife Board and will now be forwarded to NBWL for final approval. “The Odisha government remains committed to a balState Wildlife Boardanced approach, ensuring that development projects progress while maintaining ecological sustainability,” said the minister. The meeting reaffirmed the state’s dedication to wildlife conservation and responsible infrastructure development, fostering a harmonious coexistence between nature and progress, he added.