India, Sept. 2 -- Bhubaneswar: Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary in Bargarh district is poised to become Odisha's third national park after Similipal and Bhitarkanika, if the state government approves a proposal submitted by the wildlife wing earlier this year.
According to chief wildlife warden Prem Kumar Jha, the proposal, submitted in March, is under active consideration. "There are technical requirements that need to be met before final approval," he said.
Spread over 346.90 sq km, Debrigarh sanctuary comprises the Lohara and Debrigarh reserve forest blocks. Of this, 290.65 sq km has been proposed for national park status. The zone has been cleared of human habitation, with 445 families relocated from the core area over the past two years...