BHUBANESWAR: THE state government on Monday asked the Odisha Biodiversity Board to prepare a long-term plan for intensive conservation work at Gupteswar forest which was declared as a biodiversity heritage site last week. It has called for the development of the site through the participation of local communities.
Government has provided the board with an amount of Rs 35 lakh for preparation of an action plan for the work and awareness building activities in the area.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday announced that the Gupteswar forest adjacent to the Gupteswar temple in Dhondrakhol reserve forest under Jeypore forest division is the fourth biodiversity heritage site of Odisha. The site spreads over 350 hectares of demarcated area. Along with its sacred grooves traditionally worshipped by the local community, the site is bestowed with a wide range of flora and fauna.
The limestone caves of Gupteswar house eight species of bats out of the total 16 found in southern Odisha. Among them, two species Hipposideros galeritus and Rhinolophus rouxii are under the near-threatened category of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Chairperson of the board Meeta Biswal, and member secretary Nihar Ranjan Nayak congratulated the biodiversity management committee of Haladikunda (Gupteswar) gram panchayat along with scientists and researchers of the board for the achievement.