Strange are the ways of government! The Union Ministry of Environment and Forest which withdrew environmental clearance for Vedanta has now given the go-ahead for a commercial space in the Durgapur Reserve Forest.
Located prominently along the highway, Durgapur reserve has long been falling prey to illegal encroachment with a local business house driving the last nail in the green canopy's coffin by engaging heavy earth moving equipment to carve out space for a commercial complex at the cost of the hill.
It is learnt that the proposal for de-reservation of the contentious area was approved by the Centre on the recommendation of the State Government.
Protesting the chopping of the greenery at Vedvyas along the State Highway 10, hundreds of tribal people, mostly women, took to the streets to save the natural assets.
The tribals under the banner of Jal, Jungle, Jamin Suraksha Committee on Wednesday took out a rally from Saw Mill area to Vedvyas square where a meeting was held. They closed all shops and vowed to save the hill from encroachers at all costs and demanded measures to restore the massive green canopy, that the hills once possessed.
Panposh Divisional Forest Officer Atish Behera confirmed that the forest de-reservation proposal of the said business house was approved by the Centre and they have little say on the issue.
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