An aura of interest pervades Odisha's Sambalpur district as airborne survey efforts ramp up across the region, implying potential mineral mining, sources said on Tuesday.
Over the last few days, two planes have been sighted continuously flying over Sambalpur. These survey planes have been collecting data from the air, covering critical regions such as the Hirakud Dam, surrounding districts, Jharsuguda, and even sections of bordering Chhattisgarh.

According to sources, the aircraft are stationed at Jamadarpali airfield and are being used for survey operations by the Geological Survey of India (GSI). While the survey's actual objective has not been publicly acknowledged, it is widely assumed that it is intended to identify mineral resources, such as oil and natural gas reserves.
There are also reports that the local administration has given authorization for the airborne survey. Neither the GSI nor the district authority have published a public comment regarding the ongoing operations.

The unique aircraft activity has piqued the interest of local locals, sparking curiosity and expectation about potential resource discoveries in the area. The geological survey is expected to continue until September of this year.
Notably, Odisha is emerging on the country's mineral map as a new hotspot for gold exploration, with the Geological Survey of India recently confirming considerable reserves in various districts.According to survey data presented to the Legislative Assembly by Odisha Minister of Mines Bibhuti Bhushan Jena on August 19, last year, verified deposits have been located in Deogarh district's Adasa-Rampalli region, Sundargarh, Nabarangpur, Keonjhar, Angul, and Koraput. Early-stage exploration is also taking on in Mayurbhanj, Malkangiri, Sambalpur, and Boudh.
While the state government has not yet released any official estimations, geologists believe Odisha may have 10 to 20 metric tonnes of gold deposits.