Friday, 24 August 2018 | Archana Jyoti | New Delhi

The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Union Environment Ministry has put on hold the Odisha Mining Corporation’s (OMC) proposal seeking diversion of dense forest land in the State’s Keonjhar district after it found that the land in question is proposed to be a tiger corridor connecting two tiger reserves — Similipal and Satkosia.

The FAC recommends clearances for projects on forest lands.

In a meeting, the FAC noted the forest area that the OMC wants to be diverted is of pristine nature with over 2,72,535 trees and is also the proposed tiger corridor interlinking Similipal Tiger and Satkosia Tiger Reserves which is crucial for long-term conservation tigers and wildlife in the country.

Out of 846.3995 hectares forest land, the OMC sought diversion of 746.3325 ha.

As per the minutes of the meeting, those opposing the mining project told the FAC that the forest spread across Jajpur and Keonjhar districts is home to dry deciduous Sal forests and has been identified as an inviolate forest or no-go zone area mining projects.

The wildlife officers also brought to the notice of the FAC that the last tiger in these forests was seen in 1997.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has identified the patch as a tiger corridor which is crucial to connect source populations from different protected areas for genetic exchange and for dispersal of the wild cats.

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