Nilagiri, May 24: Kuladiha sanctuary under Nilagiri forest division in Balasore district, an area rich with biodiversity, has turned out to be a happy hunting ground for the stone mafia, a report said.
Rampant stone mining has posed a serious threat to the vibrant flora and fauna of the sanctuary even as the forest department has reportedly failed to curb the illegal activity.
Kuladiha is home to a variety of wildlife including elephants, bears, deer, hares, mouse barking deer, reptiles and birds, apart from being a rich storehouse of valuable timber trees and herbal plants.
Expressing their concern over the issue, environmentalists said illegal stone quarrying has been ruining the sanctuary’s biodiversity even as the forest department sits pretty.
Decades ago, when there was royal regime, the area comprising Debagiri hill ranges, Tendada and Kuladiha reserve forest was a happy hunting ground for kings, who used to hunt wildlife and generate good revenue by exporting their meat, hides and limbs.
After abolition of the royal regime, the state government auctioned the hills near the reserve forest at Bishnupur, Mangada, Ambajhar, Tiakata, Dwarakasuni and Mirigini for stone mining which fetched huge amount of revenue for it.
In 1984, the state government declared Kuladiha as a sanctuary by including three reserve forests with an area of 272.75 sq km. Despite being a sanctuary, the revenue department still continued auctioning hills and generated revenue from it. But norms relating to protection of the sanctuary were tightened in 2010 while entry into the area was prohibited.
The government set up separate Kuladiha forest range and engaged required number of forest officials for protection of the sanctuary. Patrolling squads took action against poachers and tree cutters.
However, the department has allegedly failed to prevent the stone mafia from looting the forest resources.
Locals alleged the mafia carries on stone mining everyday from the hills at Bishnupur, Jharanaghati, Tiakata, Dwarakasuni and Mirigini. Truckloads of stone are sent out to various parts of the state on a daily basis.
This has raised the concern among environmentalists and wildlife activists, who observed that rampant stone extraction poses serious threat to the forest and its wildlife.
Balasore DFO Harshabardhan Udgata said, “Mirigini is not a part of the sanctuary. We have been carrying out raids against stone quarries at other places and imposing fine on those involved in it.”
Forest ranger Laxman Kumar Pradhan was not available for comment.
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