CUTTACK: Emboldened by absence of staff, timber mafia and poachers have become active in Baramba forest range under Athagarh division.A group of timber mafia entered the reserve forest with battery-powered chainsaws, cut several valuable trees and took away the timber two days back, said residents of Gopapur who filed an FIR in this connection with Badamba police station.
Baramba IIC Sighna Rani Baral said investigation into the matter is underway. “We have launched an investigation and sought a report from forest officials to confirm whether the trees were felled,” she said.
Usually, forest officials file complaint on illegal tree felling and timber smuggling. However, this time a villager of Gopapur has filed the FIR with police alleging felling of valuable trees and smuggling of timber, the IIC added.
Sources said, the timber mafia has taken advantage of absence of staff in the range. Currently, Baramba ranger Subrat Behera, foresters Manoj Das and Deepak Sethi and forest guards Kuna Behera, Prabhat Pradhan and Sunayak Majhi are behind bar for the alleged custodial death of 59-year-old Dhaneswar Das. Their positions are yet to be filled.
“After arrest of the forest personnel following the custodial death, routine patrolling has stopped and no staff can be found in local forest offices,” said locals.Efforts to elicit a response from DFO JD Pati proved futile, while SDPO Bijay Kumar Bisi said he is aware of the situation. Stringent action would be initiated against the culprits, he added.