Illegal saw mills in Jajpur Road shut their units after they got a tip off that Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF), Angul, Sudarshan Panda was touring the district.
Notably, these units have been running in the district in connivance with the forest officials despite a ban on saw mills.
It is alleged that during the four-year tenure of Cuttack DFO Sudarshan Behera, about 150 saw mills operated in coastal districts of Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack under Cuttack forest division. They are allegedly paying Rs 20,000 bribe each for the covert operation.
RCCF Panda during his review found many irregularities and expressed his dissatisfaction over a massive plantation scheme in the Vyasa Sarovar area. He transferred Jajpur Road range officer Pranab Patnaik to Cuttack Forest Research Centre and posted Kamakhyanagar range officer Debendra Patnaik at Jajpur Road. Panda also visited some saw mills of Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur. A high level team led by CCF Abhimanyu Behera, JP Singh, Additional CCF MC Dora will visit Jajpur to inspect loot of minor minerals, especially excavation of morrum by road contractor Gayatri Projects limited, sources said.