Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, April 4: The standing committee of State Board of Wildlife (SBWL), which met here Saturday under the chairmanship of forest and environment minister Bikram Keshari Arukh approved the controversial proposal on relocation and rehabilitation of villagers of Satabhaya to Bagapatia settlement inside Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary.
“The standing committee of SBWL discussed eight proposals including rehabilitation of villagers of Satabhaya, Kanhupur and Charigharia villages to Bagapatia settlement. The panel has approved all proposals,” said principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) wildlife SS Srivastav.
The standing committee will submit its proposals to the board chairman and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik within a month, he said. “If the CM approves the proposal, it will be sent to the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL), the apex body headed by the Prime Minister,” the PCCF said.
Bagapatia existed in Bhitarkanika well before it was formally notified as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1975. At least 571 families of Satabhaya are scheduled to be relocated to Bagapatia and the revenue administration has already started acquisition of land at Bagapatia. It began the process by taking possession of 48.5-acre private land which is being upgraded into habitable government land to construct a resettlement colony that would be located over a total of 132.9-acre at Bagapatia, sources said.
Among others, the panel approved proposals on issuing of ‘pattas’ to inhabitants of Bagapatia settlement within Bhitarkanika sanctuary in Kendrapara district and wildlife clearance proposals for operation of stone quarries in Khairia Tahsil under Balasore district, Brutanga irrigation project, Suleipat iron ore mines in Mayurbhanj district, limestone mines at Dunguri in Bargarh district, Budharaja iron and manganese ore mines and Badmapahar iron ore mines in Mayurbhanj district.