Akankshya Mahapatra 
A fire broke out in the forest in the vicinity of the Nandankanan Botanical Garden on Sunday, destroying about 8 to 10 acres of forest land. On Monday, a team led by environmentalist Pradeep Tarei visited the site and expressed concern over the damaged environment.
A devastating fire broke out at the state botanical garden in Nandankanan on Sunday afternoon. Some 9 acres of forest have been damaged, and the bodies of some of the animals have been found. Locals fear most of the animals were trapped in the jungle with injuries. The body of a peacock was found on Sunday. Staff have been searching since Sunday, fearing the bodies of more dead animals will be found.
On Monday, Drs. Pradeep Tarei visited the place with his organization. He said Nandankanan authorities do not care about border security. Tarei complained that the walls here were buried.
The region has been considered an eco-sensitive zone for the past few years. As a result, housing in the area has been banned. Tarei claims.
