Baleshwar administration demolishes illegal brick kilns in eco-sensitive zone

The Baleshwar district administration in Odisha has launched a demolition drive against 13 illegal brick kilns operating within the eco-sensitive zone of the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary. The operation follows an order from the Orissa High Court, which directed authorities to clear the area by the end of October to protect the sanctuary’s ecosystem and wildlife from coal emissions.

The enforcement triggered significant tension and protests from workers, who staged road blockades on the Panchalingeswar-Dasharathipur road. Protesters demanded alternative employment and clarity on their livelihoods and rehabilitation. In response to the unrest, police forcibly removed demonstrators and detained more than 17 individuals, including a local sarpanch.

To maintain law and order, authorities deployed six platoons of police and imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. The Forest department had previously identified 14 kilns operating within the protected zone, which was designated for protection by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2017.