Orissa High Court to oversee measures taken for conservation of 6 Ramsar sites in Odisha

The Orissa High Court has scheduled February 12 to begin overseeing the conservation of six Ramsar wetlands in Odisha. This includes monitoring efforts around the notable Chilika Lake, Bhitarkanika mangroves, Satkosia Gorge, Tampara Lake, Hirakud Reservoir, and Ansupa Lake, spanning a collective expanse of 345,628 hectares.

Supreme Court Mandate

This action follows the Supreme Court's directive on December 11, 2024. The court ordered state and union territory wetland authorities to complete ground verification and demarcation of wetland boundaries as identified by the Space Applications Centre Atlas (SAC Atlas) 2021 within three months. Additionally, high courts were instructed to ensure the protection of Ramsar sites under their jurisdiction.

Suo Motu Initiative

Led by Acting Chief Justice Arindam Sinha and Justice M.S. Sahoo, the High Court initiated a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) dedicated to these significant conservation efforts. The bench has requested affidavits from relevant state authorities, such as the State Wetland Development Authority, by February 12, to report on the progress made on the Supreme Court's directive.

Long-Standing Concerns

The Supreme Court's instruction is part of its continued efforts since April 3, 2017, urging 15 high courts, including Orissa, to initiate suo motu PILs for the preservation of 26 Ramsar wetlands in their jurisdictions. Initially, the Orissa High Court registered a PIL for Chilika Lake and Bhitarkanika mangroves, recognised as Ramsar sites in 1981 and 2002, respectively. Advocate Mohit Agarwal was appointed as amicus curiae in 2017 to assist in these matters.

Current Proceedings

The ongoing case from 2017 is now linked to the recent PIL initiated in January, extending the High Court's supervision to include Satkosia Gorge, Tampara Lake, Hirakud Reservoir, and Ansupa Lake. Over the last seven years, the High Court monitored issues such as illegal prawn farming, eviction of unauthorised occupants, and filing criminal charges against violators. Proactive steps followed a comprehensive report by the amicus curiae addressing critical challenges affecting Chilika Lake and Bhitarkanika mangroves.