BHUBANESWAR: The 100 acre land at Laxmiposi village in Shamakhunta tehsil of Mayurbhanj district, where the state government has reportedly planned to take up a hotel project, comes under the Similipal eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) and Balidiha Reserve Forest.
As per the report of Baripada Forest Division, submitted to Shamakhunta tehsildar in February this year, the areal distance of plot no 138 in Laxmiposi village - the plot on which 93.28 acre patch of the said land exists - is at zero distance from the ESZ of Similipal Tiger Reserve and 680 metre away from Balidiha reserve forest.
The feasibility report of the revenue inspector, Balidiha, submitted to Shamakhunta tehsildar in June last year, also states that the farthest point of the 93.28 acre land, proposed to be alienated in favour of IDCO, is within 700 metre from the boundary of the STR and falls within the ESZ of the tiger reserve.
The Balidiha RI Office in its report has also stated that the proposed land patch covers approximately 1/4th area of the Laxmiposi village and is full of mound with a maximum height of 50 feet from the ground which indicates that huge amount of minor minerals including stone and morrum, are preserved in it. Being adjacent to STR and covered by dense forest, the land is also home to several wild animals, the report stated.
Local socio-cultural organisation of the district ‘Bhanja Sena’, that sought intervention of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to prevent establishment of a proposed hotel project at the site two days back, has claimed the site also has over two lakh trees including Sal and other native species.
Bhanja Sena town president Rakesh Kumar Mohanty said establishing a hotel inside Similipal is not acceptable as it will have negative impact on the wildlife and environment.