The Odisha government has ordered a special audit into the purchase and subsequent modification of Mahindra Thar SUVs by its Forest and Environment Department after questions were raised over the scale
of expenditure involved.
According to a report by Indian Express, the state has directed a special audit following the detection of financial irregularities in the procurement process. The vehicles were bought under government purchase norms for official use by the department.
Records show that in November last year, the Forest Department procured 51 Mahindra Thar vehicles at a cost of around Rs 7.1 crore. The controversy, however, erupted after it emerged that nearly Rs 5 crore was spent additionally on modifying these vehicles.
A note sheet signed by Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia has ordered a special audit of the office of the Chief Wildlife Warden. The audit will be conducted by a special team from the Accountant General.
Senior officials said the audit will examine whether due process was followed while procuring the vehicles, whether prior permissions were obtained for carrying out modifications, and if approvals for the expenditure were secured in advance. The team will also verify whether the Finance Department cleared the spending, assess the necessity of the accessories installed, and check if any external agency was involved in the customisation work.
As per official documents, 21 additional items were installed in each vehicle, pushing the total modification bill close to Rs 5 crore. The expenditure has drawn sharp scrutiny, with questions being raised over how accessories could nearly match the original purchase cost of the vehicles.
Department officials have defended the modifications, saying they were aimed at strengthening patrolling, monitoring and surveillance in forest areas. They claimed the upgrades would help cut response time and curb illegal activities such as poaching and timber smuggling. The vehicles were also equipped to deal with forest fire situations, which are frequent in Odisha, and to navigate difficult terrain in remote forest zones.
Officials maintained that the customisation was essential to make the SUVs suitable for rugged forest roads and to enhance the effectiveness of field patrols. They added that strict action would be taken if the audit uncovers any procedural or financial lapses.
All 51 vehicles have been distributed across 22 wildlife divisions in the state. As many as nine vehicles have been allotted to the Similipal Tiger Reserve, an area known for persistent challenges related to illegal hunting.
Odisha has a protected wildlife area spread over about 8,869 sq km, accounting for roughly 5.69% of the state’s geographical area. This includes national parks, tiger reserves, 19 wildlife sanctuaries and several conservation reserves, making wildlife protection a major administrative challenge for the state.
