According to the Down to Earth, the Odisha state government has proposed a biosphere reserve in the southern part of the state at Mahendragiri.
- The proposed Mahendragiri Biosphere Reserve is a hill ecosystem having rich biodiversity with an area of around 470,955 hectares and is spread over Gajapati and Ganjam districts in the Eastern Ghats. After Similipal, it will be a second Biosphere Reserve in the state.
- The Similipal Biosphere Reserve is Odisha’s first such reserve and was notified May 20, 1996.
- The Mahendragiri hill ecosystem acts as a transitional zone between the flora and fauna of southern India and the Himalayas, making the region an ecological estuary of genetic diversities.
- Mahendragiri is inhabited by the Soura people, a particularly vulnerable tribal group as well as the Kandha tribe.
What are Biosphere Reserve?
- Biosphere reserves are sites established by countries and recognized under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme to promote sustainable development based on local community efforts and sound science.The programme of Biosphere Reserve was initiated by UNESCO in 1971.
- Presently, there are 18 notified biosphere reserves in India.
Biosphere Reserves in India (as on Dec, 2014)
| S. No. | Name | Date of Notification | Area (in km2) | Location (State) |
| 1 | Nilgiri | 01.09.1986 | 5520 (Core 1240 & Buffer 4280) | Part of Wayanad, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Madumalai, Nilambur, Silent Valley and Siruvani hills (Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka). |
| 2 | Nanda Devi | 18.01.1988 | 5860.69 (Core 712.12, Buffer 5,148.570) & T. 546.34) | Part of Chamoli, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar districts (Uttarakhand). |
| 3 | Nokrek | 01.09.1988 | 820 (Core 47.48 & Buffer 227.92, Transition Zone 544.60) | Part of Garo hills (Meghalaya). |
| 4 | Great Nicobar | 06.01.1989 | 885 (Core 705 & Buffer 180) | Southern most islands of Andaman And Nicobar (A&N Islands). |
| 5 | Gulf of Mannar | 18.02.1989 | 10,500 km2 Total Gulf area (area of Islands 5.55 km2) | Indian part of Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka (Tamil Nadu). |
| 6 | Manas | 14.03.1989 | 2837 (Core 391 & Buffer 2,446) | Part of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamprup and Darang districts (Assam) |
| 7 | Sunderbans | 29.03.1989 | 9630 (Core 1700 & Buffer 7900) | Part of delta of Ganges and Brahamaputra river system (West Bengal). |
| 8 | Simlipal | 21.06.1994 | 4374 (Core 845, Buffer 2129 & Transition 1400 | Part of Mayurbhanj district (Orissa). |
| 9 | Dibru-Saikhowa | 28.07.1997 | 765 (Core 340 & Buffer 425) | Part of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia Districts (Assam) |
| 10 | Dehang-Dibang | 02.09.1998 | 5111.50 (Core 4094.80 &Buffer 1016.70) | Part of Siang and Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh. |
| 11 | Pachmarhi | 03.03.1999 | 4926 | Parts of Betul, Hoshangabad and Chindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh. |
| 12 | Khangchendzonga | 07.02.2000 | 2619.92 (Core 1819.34 & Buffer 835.92) | Parts of Khangchendzonga hills and Sikkim. |
| 13 | Agasthyamalai | 12.11.2001 | 1828 | Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries and their adjoining areas in Kerala. |
| 14 | Achanakamar – Amarkantak | 30.3.2005 | 3835.51 (Core 551.55 & Buffer 3283.86) | Covers parts of Anupur and Dindori districts of M.P. and parts of Bilaspur districts of Chhattishgarh State. |
| 15 | Kachchh | 29.01.2008 | 12,454 km2 | Part of Kachchh, Rajkot, Surendra Nagar and Patan Civil Districts of Gujarat State |
| 16 | Cold Desert | 28.08.2009 | 7770 | Pin Valley National Park and surroundings; Chandratal and Sarchu&Kibber Wildlife Sancturary in Himachal Pradesh |
| 17 | Seshachalam Hills | 20.09.2010 | 4755.997 | Seshachalam Hill Ranges covering parts of Chittoor and Kadapa districts of Andhra Pradesh |
| 18 | Panna | 25.08.2011 | 2998.98 | Part of Panna and Chhattarpur districts in Madhya Pradesh |
