A significant controversy has engulfed the Odisha Forest Department following revelations that it spent nearly Rs 12 crore on procuring and modifying 51 Mahindra Thar SUVs during the 2024-25 financial year, raising serious questions about fiscal prudence and administrative oversight in a state grappling with various developmental priorities.

Official documentation shows that the base cost for the 51 vehicles stood at approximately Rs 7 crore, with each Thar purchased at around Rs 14 lakh, while the subsequent modifications—encompassing advanced lighting systems, surveillance cameras, sirens, specialised off-road tyres, and additional operational fittings—accounted for an extra Rs 5 crore, prompting widespread allegations of extravagance.

Facing intense backlash from the public, opposition parties, and media outlets, Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia swiftly intervened by directing a special audit to meticulously examine the entire procurement procedure, the rationale behind each modification, and the associated expenditure approvals to ensure transparency and accountability.

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The minister acknowledged that certain customisations could indeed be vital for enhancing effectiveness in demanding forest operations, such as rapid response to wildfires, patrolling inaccessible border zones, safeguarding endangered wildlife, and combating organised poaching and illegal timber smuggling networks that plague Odisha's rich biodiversity hotspots.

Despite these operational justifications put forward by departmental officials, lingering doubts over the necessity of such substantial spending, potential lack of competitive tendering, and whether all modifications strictly aligned with essential field requirements have placed the Forest Department's decision-making under rigorous scrutiny, with the government committing to impose stringent penalties on any identified irregularities once the audit report is finalised.

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