Encroachments eat into reserve forest

SAMBALPUR: Even as the Forest Department is making tall claims of protecting the Budharaja reserve forest, several illegal encroachments have come up in the area.Located in the heart of Sambalpur town, the reserve forest was once spread across 133 acres. It has, however, reduced to 75 acres now. An illegal slum Ramgarh has come up in the forest and the dwellers are constructing pucca structures in the area.Though Budharaja Vana Sanrakshan Samiti (BVSS) has been raising the issue of encroachment of the reserve forest, nothing much has been done. Even the former conservator of forest Rajeev Kumar had visited the site and promised eviction of slum-dwellers, but this too has not been done. In 1987, the Forest Department had issued eviction notice to the slum-dwellers but in vain. Encroachment of the forest started in late 70s when a few huts came up on the slope of the reserve forest. Gradually, the slum grew while 7.17 acres of land was delineated from the reserve forest for a graveyard for Oriya Baptist Christian community and to house the reservoir of Greater Sambalpur Drinking Water Project.This apart, 1.25 acres of land was delineated for construction of a Shiva temple and another 2.5 acres for a concrete road to the hilltop. Another report submitted by field staff of the Forest Department speaks about encroachments by DIET, office of Circle Inspector of Schools, Ground Water Testing Authority besides the slum.