Kendrapada: On December 7, 2024, Union Minister for Forests, Environment, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav shared the figures of investments made in Bhitarkanika in Kendrapada between 2020 and 2025. Responding to a question by Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda in Lok Sabha, the minister said Rs 512.13 crore was spent on wildlife habitat in Bhitarkanika, Rs 487.87 crore on Mangrove forest restoration, and Rs 1,643.63 crore under the ECRICC scheme. However, wildlife conservationists have expressed surprise over the effectiveness of these expenditures.
Stretching for 40–50 km, this coastline in Kendrapara is fortified by the lush mangrove forests and the Bhitarkanika National Park, a biodiversity hotspot that is home to dolphins, saltwater crocodiles, and Olive Ridley turtles which play a big role in shielding its people from cyclones, tsunamis, and floods.
The mangroves have weathered nature’s fury time and again, protecting Kendrapada from the devastating cyclones of 1971 and 1999. But even the strongest defences wear down under relentless assault. Rising sea levels, frequent cyclones, and unchecked human activities now threaten this green arena.
While the government has initiated efforts to protect Odisha’s coast, the results are far from satisfactory. A 2015–2020 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) painted a grim picture. Despite millions allocated under the Environment Protection Act (1986) and Coastal Management Zones (1991, 2011, 2019), implementation has shown the desired result.
The report singled out districts like Kendrapara, Balasore, and Jagatsinghpur as dangerously vulnerable to natural disasters. In Kendrapara alone, embankments designed to protect against floods and sea incursions span 744.37 km but remain in poor condition. Seawater routinely breaches these barriers during storms, inundating 455 villages, with 64 identified as tsunami-prone.
Add to it industrial encroachment. Shrimp farms and factories have mushroomed along the coast leading to environmental degradation. Even attempts to restore the Mangroves by creating the forests on 228 hectares between 2016 and 2018—have yielded little results, with only 0–35% tree coverage, reports suggest.
The Geosynthetic Embankment Fiasco
A geo-synthetic embankment built at Pentha in Kendrapara at Rs 32.96 crore was supposed to be a revolution. Instead, stones from gabion boxes got dislodged and flowed into the sea within a few years, necessitating repairs worth Rs 4.65 crore in 2018. In 2019, a fire further damaged the structure, pushing costs up by an additional Rs 3.28 crore. Despite these investments, questions about the embankment’s durability remain unanswered.
The Bhitarkanika Redevelopment That Never Took Flight
However, a master plan to redevelop Bhitarkanika into a global ecotourism hub was launched in 2023 with a budgetary allocation of Rs 58 crore. As per the plan outline, modern jetties, watchtowers, and a three-story interpretation center with aquariums and theaters would have been built with the objective of boosting tourism.
Surprisingly, only the floating jetties and watchtowers were installed in Gupti and Dangmal, even as other plans remain on paper, allegedly tangled in bureaucratic red tape, ecologists say. The district administration had also unveiled a 3D plan showcasing a modern jetty, an interpretation center, and tourist-friendly facilities.
Critics argue that the lack of political will and bureaucratic hurdles stalled the project. This neglect has not only dampened tourism potential but also stymied the park’s ability to generate awareness about its vital role in coastal protection and biodiversity conservation.
The Mangrove Mitra Initiative
Despite challenges, local communities have stepped forward to protect their homeland. Under the 'Mangrove Mitra' initiative, 35 coastal residents have donated 45 acres of farmland to create new mangrove forests. This grassroots effort highlights the willingness of locals to contribute to environmental preservation, even at personal cost.
These mangroves, known for their resilience against tidal waves and cyclones, are being planted with the help of the Rajnagar Forest Division. These local “green warriors” are a beacon of hope, proving that community-driven initiatives can succeed where large-scale projects falter.
Environmentalist Hemant Rout says, "After the abolition of the monarchy in 1952, Bhitarkanika came under the control of the state government. From 1952 to 1975, countless tourists were attracted to Bhitarkanika but it was in 1975 that the state government and the central government declared Bhitarkanika as a sanctuary."
In 1998, Bhitarkanika was declared a national park while in 2002, it was declared a Ramsar site, and both Chilika and Bhitarkanika were tagged wetlands. "The mangrove forests did not only save the district during Dana cyclone this year, these have resisted cyclones of 1967, 1971, 1982 and super cyclone of 1999. The mangroves are a protective shield for the coast against natural disasters," says Rout alleging that funds meant for the sanctuary are misappropriated. "If so much money has been sanctioned, the government should hold people accountable and investigate on where was the fund used," he said.
Rajnagar Divisional Forest Officer Sudarshan Gopinath Yadav says, "Bhitarkanika is a Ramsar site and a unique forest on the coast. According to the 2021 survey, there is a total of 209 square kilometers of Mangrove forest in Kendrapada district. The Bhitarkanika Development Plan is in the proposal stage and once the decision is finalised, the work on it can start." He however denied having any knowledge about Rs 53 crore which had been sanctioned earlier.
On the other hand, on May 28, 2023, the then collector Amrit Ruturaj, speaking exclusively to ETV Bharat, had said the Bhitarkanika redevlopment plan is on the anvil and Rs 58 crore has been sanctioned by the tourism ministry to provide better amenities for the visitors.
"The redevelopment plan includes information kiosk, parking lot, an advanced museum, interpretation centre, waiting hall and amenities counter on both sides. All these will be within an integrated complex, planned at two places. The Works Department has been tasked with executing the plan. Land identification is over for an ampitheatre while the design is also done. If we begin the tender in a month, the complete work will be over in a year or two," Ruturaj had said.
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