Thar vehicles bought for Rs 7 crore, Rs 5 crore spent on customisation; Odisha govt orders special audit

A special audit of the office of the PCCF (Wildlife) will be conducted by the Special Audit Team of the Accountant General, Odisha, with an emphasis on the process, said a note sheet signed by the state’s forest and environment minister, Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia.

Following allegations of irregularities, the minister had said the matter would be probed.

During the special audit, it will be verified whether due process was followed while approving the amount for customisation, whether it had the consent of the state finance department, the necessity of items installed, and whether any external agencies were engaged, said a senior official.

Official sources said as many as 21 items were added to every ATV, with a total expenditure of Rs 5 crore to enable them to conduct faster patrolling, monitoring and surveillance and to reduce response time and check clandestine activities. These vehicles have also been customised for firefighting to check forest fires, a major issue in Odisha.

“The decision to customise the vehicles was taken keeping in mind specific aspects like making them fit to run in the rugged and hostile terrains in the forests, so that intensive patrolling can be done. If any irregularities are found during the audit process, appropriate action will be taken,” said an official acquainted with the process.

These 51 all-terrain vehicles have been deployed in 22 wildlife divisions across the state, with the highest deployment of nine vehicles in the Similipal Tiger Reserve, where poaching remains a significant threat.

The total area under the protected area network in Odisha is approximately 8,869 square km, which constitutes 5.69% of the state’s total geographical area. The protected network covers national parks, tiger reserves, 19 wildlife sanctuaries and conservation reserves.