Odisha Forms Panel to Examine Relocation of Villages from Satkosia Tiger Reserve

The Odisha government has constituted a high-level inquiry committee to examine the relocation of villages from the Satkosia Tiger Reserve (STR) following allegations of forced eviction and irregularities in rehabilitation.

About the Inquiry Committee

• The committee is headed by the Revenue and Disaster Management Secretary and will examine the entire village-wise relocation process in Satkosia Tiger Reserve.
• Raiguda village has been excluded from the inquiry as it was the first village relocated after reportedly following proper procedures.
• The notification constituting the committee was issued on August 17, 2026.

Legal and Procedural Examination

• The committee will verify compliance with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Forest Rights Act, 2006 and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines.
• It will scrutinise beneficiary identification to determine whether any eligible villagers were wrongly excluded or ineligible persons included in the relocation process.
• The panel will examine the compensation and rehabilitation benefits provided to affected families.

About Satkosia Tiger Reserve

• Location: Satkosia Tiger Reserve is located in Odisha and spreads across Angul, Cuttack, Boudh and Nayagarh districts.
• Composition: It comprises the Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary and Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary.
• River: The Mahanadi River flows through the reserve and forms the famous Satkosia Gorge.
• Elephant Reserve: The area also forms part of the Mahanadi Elephant Reserve.
• Biogeographic Importance: Satkosia lies at the meeting point of the Deccan Peninsula and Eastern Ghats biogeographic regions.
• Terrain: The landscape is predominantly hilly with moderate-to-steep slopes and narrow valleys.
• Vegetation: Forests mainly consist of North Indian tropical moist deciduous forests and moist peninsular low-level Sal forests.
• Flora: Sal is the dominant tree species, along with Asan, Dhaura, Bamboo and Simal.
• Major Fauna: Important species include tiger, leopard, elephant, spotted deer, sambar, chousingha, barking deer, gaur, wild dog and sloth bear.
• Other Fauna: The reserve also supports jackal, giant squirrel and porcupine.