Bhubaneswar, March 23: The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has called for a report from the Odisha government regarding concerns over the proposed felling of more than 1,000 mature trees for a new building project at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela.
In a letter dated March 20, the ministry directed state officials to investigate the matter, following a complaint by environmental activist Alaya Samantaray. The complaint raises concerns about the site’s ecological value, as it is a dense green area within the NIT campus, functioning as a crucial ecological buffer zone.
Samantaray has suggested that an alternative site with fewer trees be considered to avoid significant environmental damage. He stressed the importance of the NIT campus as a "green lung" for Rourkela and urged the Divisional Forest Officer to reconsider any permissions granted for the project. He has also called on NIT to revise its construction plans to protect the area's ecological integrity.
