Bhadrak: 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 has rather encouraged this illegal business to flourish in various pockets. The trade has been feeding many illegal sawmills and timber depots in the town and its outskirts.
The illegal units are operating day and night, while the forest department is accused of sitting pretty.
Timber smuggling has taken a heavy toll on forests in the district. Locals alleged the raids of the police and forest department are merely cosmetic.
Forest officials seized illegal wooden planks worth lakhs of rupees at Ichhapur Saturday.
Bhadrak ranger Ranjit Mohanty said Ikram Khan of Purunabazaar had taken two houses on rent at Ichhapur to run paddy husk business, but was carrying out illegal timber business on the premises.
According to a rough estimates, about 20 truckloads of timber are being supplied to various sawmills on a daily basis.
In the last few months, Purunabazaar police have seized several vehicles illegally carrying timber. Over 100 timber depots and at least 10 sawmills are operating in the town.
Illegal timber business is rampant in Basudevpur area too. In the past, villagers had opposed tree felling in a village jungle and torched a tractor over the issue.
In 2018, an IIC of Basudevpur had been caught by Vigilance while he was receiving bribe from timber mafia. An ASI had been suspended on the same grounds.
A former ranger had been arrested for receiving bribe from timber mafia. Such cases point to the forest official-timber mafia nexus.
Bhadrak ranger Ranjit Mohanty said there is need for proper coordination among the administration, the police and the forest department to act against illegal sawmills and depots.
Meanwhile, locals have demanded an investigation into the illegal timber trade.
PNN