Closed limestone mine turned into forest in S'garh
- Rourkela: A closed limestone and dolomite quarry at Purunapani in Sundargarh district has been trans for med into a forest, which is providing livelihood to local villagers.
- The limestone and dolomite quarry, spread over an area of 230 hectares, was closed down on March 1, 2004, after lease holder Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) found the limestone was of inferior quality. Sources said since RSP's parent company Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) did not wish to lose its land and mining lease rights, it successfully fought multiple legal battles between 2006 and 2016.
- Acting on an ecology restoration plan for areas degraded by mining, SAIL signed an agreement in 2005 with the department of bio- technology (DBT) and Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Eco- systems, University of Delhi, to enhance the biodiversity of the area.
- The project was implemented till 2020 by a multi-disciplinary team comprising academicians and research students at Delhi University.
- A large area of around 200 acres has been transformed into a tropical forest with vast swathes of grass- land and 3 lakh trees.
- Bamboo, wood and fruit- bearing trees and plants which support sericulture (Taser) have been planted. Sources said the forest is also home to various birds like Indian parrot, common myna, bulbul, cuckoo and kingfisher.
- A 30-meter-deep reservoir spread over an area of about 200 acres in the area is being used for fish farming. Ten lakh fingerlings were introduced in the waterbody in 2019.
- RSP sources said the local self-help groups have been trained in rearing Taser silkworm, lac insect, fish cultivation and apiculture.