Public resentment is brewing against Forest department personnel here following rising cases of theft of sandalwood tress by the wood mafias in Gajapati district.
lack of sincere efforts by the Forest Department officials here to check filching of sandalwood tress has caused deep resentment among the locals.
“Wood mafias have become more active in R Udaygiri block for the past two months. large number of valuable trees like sandalwood have been cut and exported to other States as well as abroad. Despite this, the Forest Department has not taken any measures to curb this menace,” alleged a local.
On the other hand, the police have been successful in nabbing two sandalwood mafias and have seized more than 40 kg sandalwood logs worth over `1 lakh during late night patrolling recently. The accused duo hails from Tikamala and Kendu Sahi of Sabarpalli Gram Panchayat. One of them has been identified as Dibakara Karada.