Bhubaneswar, April 24 (IANS) In a significant development, the Odisha government on Thursday officially declared Similipal in Mayurbhanj district as a National Park, under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
“A landmark step towards Viksit Bharat, Viksit Odisha! Similipal is now officially a National Park – the 107th in India and the largest in #Odisha at 845.70 sq km. This long-awaited declaration strengthens our ecological legacy, uplifts tribal aspirations, and reaffirms Odisha’s commitment to sustainable development,” posted on the ‘X’ handle of the Chief Minister’s Office.
According to a notification issued by the Odisha Forest, Environment & Climate Change Department, the declaration comes in exercise of powers under Section 35(4) of the Act.
This follows the government’s earlier notifications issued on August 6, 1980 (No. 18703) and on June 11, 1986 (No. 19525), wherein the state government had expressed its intent to designate the area as a National Park.
Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) is the largest tiger habitat of Odisha. Notably, Similipal National Park includes a large patch of forest from Similipal South Wildlife Division and some parts of the Similipal North Wildlife Division.
As per the 1972 Wildlife (Protection) Act, the State Government can create National Parks in regions recognised for their ecological, geomorphological, and natural significance. The criteria laid down by the centre declare that an area accorded national park status must be completely inviolate and free from human habitation, and no livestock grazing in the area as well.
It is worth noting that Bhitarkanika, India’s second-largest mangrove ecosystem after the Sunderbans, was the lone national park in Odisha.
It was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1975 and declared a national park by the government of Odisha in September 1998.
The fundamental objective of a national park is to safeguard the natural environment of the designated area and ensure the preservation of biodiversity.
–IANS
gyan/dan
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by TodayIndia.news and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of TodayIndia.news We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, TodayIndia.news takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.
