Bhubaneswar, Sept. 30 -- The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has flagged large-scale irregularities in the sale, mutation, conversion and utilisation of land falling within the Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary (BKWLS) and eco-sensitive zones (ESZs) of Odisha, saying such violations defeated the statutory objective of protecting wildlife and the biological integrity of protected areas.
The observations are contained in the CAG's compliance audit report for the period ended March 2024, which was tabled in the Odisha Legislative Assembly on September 28.
Audit scrutiny found that 13.65 acres of land in Chhaitana village, falling within the BKWLS area, were sold in violation of provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act and i...