The Government of India is now going to construct the inter-State coastal highway along the Odisha seacoast. The seacoast of Odisha, stretched over nearly 500 km, passes over many important diversified estuarine areas of several major rivers of the State and neighbouring States like Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.

The major estuarine forest areas and the tidal ecological system lie on the river mouths of Mahanadi, Brahmani- Baitarani, Subarnarekha,

Budhabalang, Rushikuly etc. The inter State coastal highway is going over the famous Chilika lake, an internationally famed as a Ramsar Site.

The Chilika lagoon is very famous for its rich diversified flora and fauna, which attracts 95 species of migratory birds from far off countries during winter.  The varieties of reptiles like snakes, lizards and aquatic mammals like Irrawadi Dolphins, now on verge of extinction, are fond in the lagoon based habitat of Chilika. There are 800 different species of fauna which are found in the lagoon.

Moreover, the site and environment provides rookery to Olive Ridley sea turtles from time immemorial. This is a famous eco-system, where varieties of phyto-planktons, algae and aquatic plants with 225 fish varieties are found. Every year, millions of migratory birds and Olive Ridley turtles visit the lagoon-based habitat to complete their biological process. The proposed inter-State highway along the seacoast and over the lagoon, definitely harm the entire ecosystem and ecological process of nature.

It is definite that, we will be benefited by the proposed inter-State coastal highway economically, but at the cost of several ecological processes of nature which cannot be substituted by our political whim!

If the coastal highway passes beyond the limits of Chilika lagoon without harming the ecosystem and ecological process of nature, especially estuarine environment, then the project is welcome.

Development does not mean that man will harm other creatures of nature.

The Mahanadi river mouth is the biggest river mouth of Odisha, where major area is occupied by the Paradip Port at the cost of mangrove forests and mangrove ecosystem of the coast. Again this eco-system is also used for providing habitat to the people, who had migrated from

Bangladesh. If the highway further moves over the balanced ecosystem, the entire eco system will be finished and the oceanic disastrous cyclones will be invited. The mangrove systems of nature are the great barriers of oceanic disasters. Our Central Government should realize the practical abilities of ecological stands of the nature.

Again our Bhitarkanika Sanctuary situated in the river mouth of Brahmani and Baitarani will be severely affected. The river mouths of Mahanadi, Brahmani-Baitarani and Chilika are the rich ecological hubs, not only of Odisha or India but also are internationally famed ecological institutions of the globe. The physiographic features are unique, where rich mangrove vegetations over the deltaic region form most part of the eco-systems. The whole area is criss-crossed by creeks and channels, which make the ecosystem healthier to protect the landmass from cyclonic disasters. It is an ideal habitat of various reptiles like the estuarine crocodiles, the largest Indian lizards known as water lizard, king cobra, python etc. Besides, residential birds like kingfishers, hornbills, bar headed geese, Brahmani ducks, pintails, sea eagles are found here. Once damaged, the ecosystem can’t be rebuilt.

Vultures are now disappearing from most part of the country and attempts are made to repopulate the birds through captive measures, but there is special “niche” in this sanctuary of vultures known as

“Saguna- Chera”. The eco-system signifies the representation of various flora and fauna of estuarine based. The whole eco-system is highly populated, to which the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is contiguous. The Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is very popular for being a rookery of Olive- Ridley turtles. Every year, millions of such turtles from far Pacific Ocean come to our coast to lay eggs to continue their race. If the inter-State coastal highway runs over this land, the whole ecological process of nature within this land will be hampered and may be damaged for all time to come. The estuarine as well as the mangrove eco-systems are very sensitive.

Our seacoast is also famous for Rushikulya rookeries. A huge number of Olive Ridley turtles came every to the coast for laying eggs to complete their races.

It is quite interesting to mark how our entire sea coast is favourable to lay eggs by marine turtles that can be known from our

Konark-Chandrabhaga beach. This year for the first time, quite a good number of Olive Ridley turtles came to lay eggs in Konark-

Chandrabhaga beach. About 1,016 eggs were laid and protected by the various agencies

 The Government of India as well as the State Government of Odisha should take all these facts into consideration before going ahead with the highway project. Their prime duty is to protect and preserve our eco-systems.

(The writer is a former forest officer and environmentalist, M-9937460649)