Nilgiri: Incidents of wildlife straying into human settlements near the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary in Nilgiri sub-division area of Balasore district have been increasingly reported. With several monkeys and peacocks being spotted in residential areas near the sanctuary, locals have been both surprised and alarmed. The sudden appearance of these animals has caused fear among villagers, who worry about potential conflicts with wildlife.
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The situation has drawn attention to the encroachment of wildlife habitats. Despite the villages being part of an eco-sensitive zone surrounding the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, the establishment of illegal brick kilns and encroachment on forest land have been rampant. Unchecked deforestation and the setting up of unauthorised settlements within forested areas have significantly affected wildlife, with shrinking habitats forcing animals to move closer to human habitations in search of food and safety. Concerns have also been raised about pollution from the brick kilns. Coal smoke from chimneys is believed to be a major contributor to environmental degradation in the area impacting both the sanctuary and the surrounding eco-sensitive zone. Discussions have highlighted the failure of the Forest Department to address these violations effectively, allowing such issues to recur frequently. A joint team comprising officials from State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), Revenue, Mining and Forest departments, led by Balasore ADM Sudhakar Nayak and Nilgiri Sub-Collector Subhashree Rath visited the area Thursday and asked the brick kiln owners to close down the kilns. They also asked the labourers to refrain from working in the kilns.
As many as 15 brick kilns are operating inside the eco-sensitive zone of Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary while eight are running on its periphery. The Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary under Nilgiri sub-division of Balasore district is spread over 272.75 sq km of area while 219.18 sq km is under the eco-sensitive zone. When contacted, Kuldiha forest ranger Prabir Murmu admitted that animals are facing a shortage of food in the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary. Simians and peacocks are straying into human habitats as paddy crops and vegetables are available in the villages near the sanctuary.