The Odisha government is planning to declare 13 more spots as eco-sensitive zones across the state.

“We have already declared three spots as eco-sensitive zones. The state government will soon come out with a notification to declare 13 more spots as eco-sensitive zones, probably within a day or two,” said minister of forest and environment on the sidelines of a seminar on livelihood issues of fisher women. Last May, the state government had declared the Chandaka-Dampada, Konark-Balukhand and Nandankanan Sanctuary as eco-sensitive Zones.

PURI: Once a haven for the black bucks and spotted deer, the verdant Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary is now spelling disaster for the inhabitants.

The shrinking forest cover and dry water sources in the sanctuary have forced these animals out of the wild into nearby human habitations leaving them vulnerable to poachers.

The dry spell which continued for the last couple of months followed

The fate of the controversial Vedanta University project, proposed to be built on the Puri-Konark marine drive, has been pushed into limbo after the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests on Tuesday decided to keep the conditional environmental and Coastal Regulatory Zone clearance in abeyance over allegations of irregularities, illegal and unlawful deeds by promoters Anil Agarwal Foundation.

Debabrata mohanty