Keonjhar: The laying of slurry pipelines for transportation of iron ore fines in wildlife corridors has come in for flak from various quarters. A delegation of the social outfit ‘Yuva O Shrama Bikash Mancha’ (YSBM) organised a demonstration here Wednesday and demanded that the laying of the pipelines through the wildlife corridors within the Sadar and Ghatgaon ranges in Keonjhar forest division must be stopped immediately. They submitted a memorandum on this issue to District Collector Vishal Singh and DFO Keonjhar, Dhanraj HD. They also forwarded copies of the memorandum to the Secretary, the Forest and Environment Department and the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The delegation was led by the outfit’s president Ranjan Kumar Behera, vice-president Jaykrishna Nayak and other office-bearers. It has been alleged that the consultancy agency that has taken up the work is mindlessly felling trees for the laying of pipelines adjacent to National Highway-20. This has affected the free movement of wild animals in the forest ranges. YSBM members alleged that despite complaints being lodged on the issue, the construction firm has not even been show-caused. The association alleged that the Forest department is favouring the firm. They demanded that work on the laying of pipelines be stopped immediately and a high-level inquiry should be initiated into the irregularities.
Members of YSBM threatened of long-term agitations if measures to protect the forests are not taken. It has been alleged that the construction work is not being carried out properly and methodically. Sources informed that even the filling up of trenches is being carried out carelessly causing injuries to animals while they are on the move. They asserted work for laying of pipes should be supervised by district officials.
