Bhadrak: Forest deparment officials launched a crackdown on teak and timber mafias at various locations in this district late Thursday night. They confiscated huge quantities of wood and cutting instruments in a raid on two timber godowns district. The two godowns have been identified as Shankar Gouri Godown and Laxmi Narayan Depot.
Led by Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Purnima Pandian, Assistant Conservator in Forest (ACF) Biraj Mohan Mohanty, forest officials and town police, a joint operation was conducted in which the two places were raided.
Illegal timber trade has been thriving in various parts of this district under the very nose of the forest department. An unholy nexus between timber traders and unscrupulous forest officials have encouraged this illegal business to flourish in various pockets of the district.
Further investigation is on to ascertain whether others are involved in illegal felling of trees.
PNN