Similipal has been declared a national park, becoming the largest in Odisha and the 107th in India, marking a new chapter in the state’s conservation efforts
OdishaPlus Bureau
After decades of anticipation, Similipal has officially been designated as a national park, following a formal announcement from the Odisha government on Thursday. The area, encompassing 845.70 square kilometers across 11 ranges in both the Similipal south and north divisions, is now recognized as a national park, making it the second area in the state after Bhitarkanika.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced this development on Thursday, noting that Similipal is now the 107th national park in India and the largest in Odisha. He described this declaration as a pivotal advancement for conservation efforts and a step towards achieving the objectives of ‘Viksit Bharat and Viksit Odisha’, emphasizing its importance for ecological preservation, tribal welfare, and sustainable development.
Prem Kumar Jha, the PCCF (wildlife) and chief wildlife warden, remarked that granting national park status to Similipal marks a significant achievement in Odisha’s conservation history. He highlighted that the long-standing proposal, which originated in 1980 and has now come to fruition, will greatly enhance the state’s efforts in forest and wildlife conservation.
According to the notification from the Forest, Environment and Climate Change (FE&CC) department, the 845.70 square kilometers of Similipal National Park includes the Pithabata north, Pithabata south, Nawana, Jenabil, Upper Barahkamuda National Park, and Bhanjabasa ranges of the Similipal south division, as well as the Barehipani, Chahala, Nawana North, and Talabandha ranges of the Similipal north division. Similipal, recognized as the largest tiger reserve in the state, is home to 55 species of mammals, 361 species of birds, 62 species of reptiles, and 21 species of amphibians.
The reserve spans 2,750 square kilometers, with approximately 2,306 square kilometers designated as the Similipal wildlife sanctuary. In 2007, the state identified 1,194.75 square kilometers of the Similipal Tiger Reserve as a core critical tiger habitat.
Following the Centre’s criteria, which stipulate that an area designated as a national park must be entirely untouched and devoid of human settlement and the presence of domestic animals, the forest department has officially designated an area of 845.70 square kilometers, primarily located in the Similipal south division, as a national park.
The core region of Similipal, which includes six villages—Jamunagada, Kabatghai, Bakua, Barahkamuda, and Bahaghar—has presented significant challenges for national park designation for many years. Although the government successfully relocated the villages of Jenabil, Kabatghai, Barahakamuda, and Bahaghar, approximately 61 families still reside in Bakua. Consequently, Bakua has been excluded from the designated national park area of 845 square kilometers, according to sources.
The notification from the department was issued following the completion of the mandatory 60-day proclamation period established by the Mayurbhanj district administration last year. Samrat Gowda, the deputy director of STR South, remarked that achieving national park status is a significant acknowledgment for Similipal. ‘This not only empowers us to enforce regulations more effectively but also facilitates the acquisition of additional funding to enhance protective measures within the tiger habitat,’ he stated. Until now, Bhitarkanika was the only national park in the state, having been established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1975 and designated as a national park in 1998.
