Bhubaneswar, Sept. 23 -- Odisha has diverted 2,21,180.826 hectares of forest land over the last ten years for mining, industrial and infrastructure projects, Forest, Environment & Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia informed the State Assembly today.
In a written reply to a question from Congress MLA Nilamadhab Hikaka, the Minister said that in the last 15 months alone, 2,041.8953 hectares were diverted for mining, 210.0127 hectares for road widening, and 2,306.868 hectares for other projects.
Quoting the India State of Forest Report 2023, Singhkhuntia said Odisha's forest cover stands at 33.67 percent, registering a net gain of 277.61 sq km compared to 2021.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Unite...