BHUBANESWAR: National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has accorded in-principle approval to Odisha government’s proposal to declare Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve (TR).In its 17th technical committee meeting, the apex body approved the proposal for 804.51 sq km area of the sanctuary and its surrounding forests to be a declared a TR, sources in NTCA told this newspaper.
It is now for the government to officially issue a notification to this effect. Once it is done, Debrigarh will be the third tiger reserve of the state.In 2018, the state government had proposed Debrigarh along with Dehchuan reserve forest and Sarraiadamak-Budharaja reserve forest as a TR stating the rich forests of the region make it a suitable habitat for big cat reintroduction.
Debrigarh is well connected with the proposed Sunabeda TR (in Odisha) and Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh on its south west. Similarly, it is linked to Satkosia Tiger Reserve through forests of Angul, Athamalik, Rairakhol and Sambalpur on its south and south east. Contacted, PCCF (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden SK Popli confirmed in-principle approval for Debrigarh has come through and said it is a good sign. “We are working towards declaring it as a tiger reserve,” he said.The Forest department has already relocated eight families from two villages in Debrigarh and 37 families from Jhagadebehera to create inviolate space for wildlife.
The NTCA had found Debrigarh to have good forest with rich prey base which can act as important corridor between Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The sanctuary complies with all six conditions laid down by an NTCA Committee during its visit to the state in 2019, the top agency said.
A young adult tiger was found to have migrated to the sanctuary as early as December last year indicating the habitat could become an important support to spill over of big cat population in Central India landscape.
Similipal and Satkosia are the only two notified TRs in the state at present. Though, Centre had accorded in-principle approval to Sunabeda as a TR way back in 2008, the state government is yet to notify the same.same.