A Forest squad led by Range Officer Jyotiranjan Mohapatra seized a pickup van bearing registration No. OR-34C-0058 on Sunday morning near Ballavi Ghat in Jajpur Town for transporting about 80 cubic feet Fasi logs worth about Rs 10 lakh.
The raid was conducted under the instruction of the Cuttack DFO. Driver of the vehicle Abhay Jena (38) of Baulang under Mangalpur police station was arrested. The vehicle was seized under Sec 56 of the Forest Act. The logs were reportedly being shifted from Bandaripokhari area of Bhadrak district to Samal Saw Mill, Kandia, Kendrapada via Jajpur Town, said a forest staff. According to sources, regular plying of vehicles carrying illegal logs and timber from areas to Kandia, Aul and other adjoining places under Rajnagar Forest Division has been going unabated. About 10 illegal saw mills are reportedly operating under the Rajnagar Forest Division under the very nose of some high level forest officials, sources alleged.
The squad conducting the raid comprised Forester Paresh Sahoo, Para Squad Staff Trilochan Dash, Nirmal Mallick, Ajay Mallick and Guard Duryodhan Beg. A case was registered at Jajpur Road Forest Range office and further investigation was on. Notably, 15 days back, a Tata AC carrying ‘Sal’ timber from Keonjhar area was also seized at Jajpur Road.
