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The construction of a six-lane greenfield highway under Bharatmala Pariyojana has led to the felling of nearly 47,000 trees in Odisha's Nabarangpur district. The corridor, part of NH-130CD linking Raipur and Visakhapatnam, cuts through 116 km of Nabarangpur and 124 km of Koraput. Many of the removed trees were decades old, raising ecological concerns. Authorities say compensatory afforestation is underway, with over two lakh saplings already planted, though Odisha's past plantation track record has drawn criticism. The district also saw major land acquisition for the project, valued at around INR 3,159 crore. Rising tree loss across Odisha underscores pressure on long-term restoration efforts.
In Nabarangpur district of Odisha, the ongoing construction of a six-lane greenfield highway under the Bharatmala Pariyojana has led to the felling of almost 47,000 trees. This highway forms a major part of National Highway 130CD, connecting Raipur in Chhattisgarh with Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Around 116 km of the 464 km corridor passes through Nabarangpur, while another 124 km extend through Koraput. Advertisement
Of the total trees removed, roughly 14,000 were on forest land and more than 22,000 were on private land acquired for the project. Additional tree felling occurred due to a proposed bypass in Nabarangpur and widening activities. Environmental observers have said many of these were decades-old or century-old trees, raising concern about long-term effects on local ecology and micro-climatic conditions.
According to the Divisional Forest Officer of Nabarangpur, Shubhendu Prasad Behera, the Odisha Forest Development Corporation will handle compensatory afforestation. The agency has committed to planting twice the number of trees that were cut, and more than two lakh saplings have already been planted in the district as part of the restoration effort.
However, concerns have been raised about the track record of compensatory afforestation in the state. In earlier years, certain divisions in Odisha faced criticism for not meeting mandated plantation targets despite extensive tree-felling for development projects. This has led to questions about the long-term maintenance and survival of saplings, particularly when large-scale projects are involved.
Odisha has witnessed significant forest-land diversion over the past few years. Between 2021 and 2023, more than 6,500 hectares of forest land were diverted for infrastructure, mining, and industrial use, yet only a small portion of the earmarked areas has seen compensatory plantation so far. Nabarangpur district itself has been highlighted in government data for having a large share of forest land under encroachment.
The Bharatmala highway project in this region also required extensive land acquisition. Nabarangpur was reported to be one of the first districts to complete land acquisition for the corridor, with a project cost estimated at around INR 3,159 crore for its portion. A key section of the broader highway project the Kaliagura to Baunsaguar stretch has been sanctioned with a budget of INR 1,539 crore.
Forest-clearance conditions for the project include mandatory contributions to the compensatory afforestation fund and planting requirements that extend beyond simple one-to-one replacement. Agencies involved are required to fund and monitor the planting of multiple times the number of trees cut, along with long-term maintenance responsibilities.
On a wider scale, Odisha has seen substantial tree loss over the past two decades. Estimates indicate that more than 2.67 million trees have been removed across the state for various development activities, including roads, mining, and industrial expansion. This places additional pressure on afforestation programmes to ensure stable and sustainable green cover.
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