Bhubaneswar, Odisha : Odisha forest clearance has accelerated development projects in Jharsuguda and Angul, ensuring faster approvals for infrastructure, mining, and industrial growth. The state government is prioritizing timely permissions to remove bottlenecks and boost investments in these key districts.
The meeting, chaired by Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, Shri Satyabrata Sahu, witnessed participation from senior officials including Additional PCCF (Nodal) Shri K. Murugesan, CCF (Nodal) Shri A.K. Kar, Special Secretary Shri Lingaraj Ota, GSI Director Shri J.P. Mahakud, Chief Engineer (Construction) South Eastern Railway Shri Bijay Kumar, NHAI Regional Officer Shri Virendra Singh, and representatives of key projects.
ACS Shri Sahu emphasized proactive identification and removal of potential bottlenecks at the field level by regional conservators and divisional forest officers to avoid unnecessary delays. He stressed that while forest conservation norms will not be compromised, development needs must progress in balance with environmental priorities.
He highlighted critical issues often causing delays such as settlement of rights under Forest Rights Act, compensatory afforestation, and proper demarcation of forest land. The ACS also directed adoption of GIS-based mapping, digital proposal tracking, and timely inter-departmental consultations for faster and transparent processing.
Shri Sahu announced that on the 12th of every month, he would chair a review under the PMG Pragatī mechanism to resolve forest-related issues of pending projects. The Chief Secretary and ACS will also conduct regular coordination exercises to ensure seamless progress and timely solutions.
The meeting reviewed proposals for seven mineral exploration projects of GSI in Similipal, Keonjhar, Cuttack, and Sukinda regions, along with two major South Eastern Railway projects including the Jharsuguda rail siding and Jharsuguda–Barpali–Sardega line. It also discussed road projects like the Capital Region Ring Road (Rameswar–Gobindpur–Tangi) and the NLC Uda Pauns Dike Project.
Regional forest officers from Rourkela, Anugul, Sambalpur, and divisional officers from multiple forest divisions joined virtually, sharing updates and action points.
The Odisha government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting community interests and ecological balance while promoting infrastructure and industrial projects through faster, transparent, and accountable forest clearance processes.
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