States » EastPosted at: Oct 1 2026 4:21PM


CAG finds sanctuary land sold, ESZ norms violated in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Oct 1 (UNI) Land within a wildlife sanctuary was illegally divided into 156 plots and sold in violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, while 41.65 acres inside Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) in Puri and Khordha were used for activities barred under ESZ notifications, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has found.
The findings emerged from a CAG compliance audit of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department’s monitoring of land use, covering eight Collectorates and 24 Tehsils.
The audit found that 13.65 acres within a wildlife sanctuary were divided into 156 sub-plots and sold, disregarding statutory restrictions under the Wildlife (Protection) Act. In Puri and Khordha, another 41.65 acres falling within ESZs were utilised for activities not permitted under the respective ESZ notifications.
The audit also detected large-scale diversion of forest and agricultural land. In six sampled Tehsils, 568.876 acres of forest land were used for non-forest activities without prior approval of the Central Government.
Further, 12,393.651 acres allotted between 1981 and 2021 for industries and allied activities had not been utilised for the intended purposes. Another 252.692 acres were used for purposes other than those for which they had been sanctioned.
In the absence of village-wise land banks mandated under the Odisha Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Rules, 668.893 acres of government land, valued at Rs 597.87 crore, remained under unauthorised occupation.
The audit found that 504.768 acres of agricultural land in the sampled Tehsils had been used for non-agricultural purposes, including educational institutions, industries and religious organisations. In two Tehsils, 10.085 acres were converted to homestead category without genuine approach roads to the plots.
The CAG also pointed to gaps in monitoring, noting that mechanisms such as monthly or quarterly progress reports on utilisation of allotted land, resumption of unutilised land and detection of unauthorised use of agricultural land were not in place.
The audit recommended that the department ensure that allotted land is used for the sanctioned purpose within the stipulated period and resume land that remains unutilised. It also called for creation of land banks, effective measures against encroachment and a robust mechanism to prevent unauthorised conversion and use of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes.
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Tags: #CAG finds sanctuary land sold# ESZ norms violated in Odisha
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