Top Court Orders Probe Into Illegal Construction At Odisha's Satkosia Tiger Reserve

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Union government, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), the Odisha state government, and other authorities in response to a petition challenging provisional No Objection Certificates (NOCs) issued for construction and tourism projects within and around Odisha's Satkosia Tiger Reserve.

The petition, filed by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, seeks to halt construction activities, citing violations of environmental and wildlife protection laws.

It raises urgent concerns about the unchecked expansion of tourism infrastructure in the ecologically sensitive Satkosia Tiger Reserve, a critical habitat notified in 2007.

Spanning 1,136.70 sq. km, the reserve encompasses the Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary and Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary, divided by the Mahanadi River. 

It is home to endangered species, including the Asian Elephant, Gharial, and Mugger crocodile, and is recognised as a Ramsar site for its rich aquatic and avian biodiversity.

Mr Bansal's plea alleges that District Collectors in Angul, Nayagarh, Boudh, and Cuttack issued provisional NOCs without legal authority, bypassing the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and other environmental regulations.

The petition highlights proposed projects, including a high-level bridge over the Mahanadi River and commercial hotels and resorts, which lack mandatory clearances from the Chief Wildlife Warden and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

It further notes the absence of a finalised Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the reserve, with Odisha's draft ESZ controversially proposing "zero" buffer zones in areas near the ecologically vital Satkosia Gorge, contrary to NTCA's 2018 guidelines mandating a minimum 1-km buffer.

"State agencies are undermining critical safeguards under forest, wildlife, and environmental laws through unauthorised constructions and a tourism-driven model that disregards conservation mandates," Mr Bansal argued in the plea. 

He criticised Odisha's apparent shift from conservation to commercialisation, alleging violations of NTCA's 2012 guidelines and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's (MoEFCC) 2021 eco-tourism norms, which emphasise low-impact, community-based tourism and prohibit permanent structures in protected areas.

Satkosia, one of India's 50 tiger reserves, is a linchpin in the country's biodiversity conservation strategy, particularly for its role in supporting endangered species and maintaining ecological balance along the Mahanadi River.

The absence of a finalised ESZ, a recurring issue across India's protected areas, exacerbates vulnerabilities, allowing commercial projects to encroach on wildlife habitats.

Environmentalists argue that unchecked tourism infrastructure could disrupt animal migration corridors, degrade water systems, and threaten the reserve's Ramsar status.