Odisha Forest Department will investigate the purchase of Thar SUV for ₹7 crore and modification worth ₹5 crore.

A controversy has erupted in the state over the huge expenditure incurred by the Forest and Environment Department of the Odisha government on the purchase of 51 Mahindra Thar SUVs and their modification in the 2024–25 financial year. According to details revealed, the department spent around ₹7 crore on the purchase of these vehicles, while an additional ₹5 crore was spent on their modification. In this way the total expenditure reached approximately ₹12 crore, after which the government is facing criticism.

According to the report, each Mahindra Thar SUV costs around ₹14 lakh. Amid growing questions and public criticism, State Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia has ordered a special audit of the entire matter. The Minister clarified that during the investigation it will be examined whether the modifications made to these vehicles were actually necessary for departmental work or not.

A senior Forest Department official said that some changes in vehicles may be necessary for departmental needs, but if any expenditure is found inappropriate, unbalanced or excessive, action will be taken. Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia also said that the thinking behind the modification and its rationale will be reviewed in detail in the audit.

It is reported that additional lighting systems, cameras, warning indicators, special types of tires and other technical equipment have been installed in these Thar SUVs. The department claims that these changes are necessary to work in forests and inaccessible areas. However, it is also a matter of investigation whether necessary permissions were taken in advance for all these modifications and whether the expenditure incurred on them was justified.

The Forest Department says that these SUVs have been purchased for extinguishing forest fires, deployment of personnel in remote and border areas, protection of wildlife and to prevent illegal activities like hunting and illegal logging. According to department officials, many forest areas in Odisha are inaccessible and have difficult geographical conditions, where normal vehicles are not effective.

Despite this, opposition parties and social organizations have raised questions about whether it was really necessary to spend on such expensive vehicles and heavy modifications. Some critics have called it a case of misuse of government funds and have demanded accountability.

The state government has assured that responsibility will be fixed after the audit report comes and if any irregularity, illegal or suspicious conduct is found at any level, strict action will be taken. At present, there remains political and public scrutiny on the expenditure and decisions of the Odisha Forest Department until the investigation is completed.

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