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The Gandhamardan hill, also known as the Ayurvedic paradise of Odisha, is a unique, ecologically fragile ecosystem with a rich biodiversity, and the Odisha government has designated it as the 3rd biodiversity heritage site of the state. It spans 18,963.898 hectares over the districts of Bolangir and Bargarh.
This is the 3rd such location in Odisha; the other two are the Mandasaru Gorge and Mahendragiri Hills, which are located in the districts of Gajapati and Kandhamal, respectively.
According to a notification from the state forest & environment department, the designation was made in accordance with Rule 20(2) of the 2012 Odisha Biodiversity Rules and Section 37 of the Biodiversity Act.
With this official release, Gandhamardan has joined the ranks of the Majuli island in Assam, the Nallur Tamarind grove in Bangalore, the Khlaw Kur Syiem KmieIng divine grove in Meghalaya, and the Naro Hills in Madhya Pradesh as India's 37th biodiversity heritage site.
The 1st such site in Odisha was designated as the Mandasaru Gorge in the Kandhamal district in 2019, and Mahendragiri Hills in 2022. The Gandhamardan hills are home to 1,055 plant species, including, 56 pteridophytes, 849 angiosperms, 40 bryophytes, 2 gymnosperms, 63 species of macrofungi, and 45 lichens.
There are 500 different species of animals that make up the fauna, including 43 different species of mammals, 161 different bird species, 44 different reptile species, 16 different amphibian species, 118 different butterfly species, 27 different dragonfly species, 7 different damselfly species, and 83 different spider species.
The hills are home to ancient landmarks including the Harishankar Temple on the southern slope and the Nrusinghanath Temple on the northern slope. Each day, hundreds of pilgrims visit these temples, which are believed to be essential to maintaining the area's rich cultural legacy.
More visitors are anticipated to the temples now that Gandhamardan has been designated a biodiversity heritage site, and measures will be taken to safeguard the local flora and fauna.
According to the National Biodiversity Authority, biodiversity heritage sites are clearly delineated places that are special, ecologically sensitive ecosystems - terrestrial, coastal, inland, and marine - with a rich ecosystem composed of any of the following components:
The richness of both domesticated and wild living things or intra-specific categories, high endemism, the presence of endangered, keystone species, rare species, species of evolutionary importance, wild ancestors of domestic species, the presence of substantial cultural, ethical, or aesthetic values, as well as their significance for the maintenance of cultural diversity, regardless of the long interval. the former dominance of biological components indicated by fossil beds.
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