HC flags fund lapse in Madkudweep eco-tourism project, seeks status report

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh high court has directed the divisional forest officer (DFO), Mungeli, to submit a fresh affidavit detailing the current status of fund allocation and utilisation for the Madkudweep eco-tourism project. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal issued the directive on April 8 during the hearing of a suo motu public interest litigation. The court observed that while development work at the site is ongoing, a portion of the previously sanctioned funds lapsed at the end of the 2025–26 financial year. According to the DFO's affidavit, out of the total approved estimate of Rs 74.58 lakh, Rs 20 lakh was allocated for 2025–26. Of this, Rs 16.34 lakh was utilised, while Rs 3.66 lakh remained unspent and was returned to the concerned authority after March 31, 2026. The DFO informed the court that a request has been made to the chief conservator of forests, Bilaspur circle, to release the pending balance of Rs 54.58 lakh along with the unutilised Rs 3.66 lakh to ensure completion of the project. Madkudweep, a 24-hectare island on the Shivnath River in Mungeli district, located about 25-40 km from Bilaspur, is being developed as a key eco-tourism and cultural destination known for its natural beauty, archaeological remains, and religious importance.