Odisha to relocate 420 families from Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary in Bargarh district
- Recently, the Odisha Government has decided to relocate around 420 families from four zero-connectivity villages in Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary.
- The relocation is aimed at reducing man-animal conflict and providing better living conditions to the displaced families.
Location:
- It is situated in the Bargarh district of Odisha near Hirakud dam (Mahanadi River) and covers an area of 346.91 square kilometers.
- It is bounded on the east and north by the huge Hirakud reservoir.
- It was declared as a wildlife sanctuary on 8th February 1985.
- It is an important site for in situ conservation of wildlife and its habitat in the state of Odisha
Biodiversity:
- Flora: Dry deciduous forests
- Fauna: Four-horned antelope, Indian leopard, Indian elephant, sambar, chital, gaur, etc.
Major Protected Areas in Odisha:
National Parks:
- Bhitarkanika National Park
- Simlipal National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries:
- Badrama WLS
- Chilika (Nalaban island) WLS
- Hadgarh WLS
- Baisipalli WLS
- Kotagarh WLS
- Nandankanan WLS
- Lakhari Valley WLS
- Gahirmatha (Marine) WLS