With severe security lapses nowadays, the Athagarh jungle has turned a safe haven for mafias and poachers.
As per allegation, Divisional Forest Officer SS Mishra, who joined recently, is coming from Bhubaneswar everyday and has entrusted his subordinates the job of watching the jungle. This has become an opportunity for animal poachers and wood mafias to run illegal trade allegedly in connivance with some of the said subordinates.
The allegation has been substantiated with the fact that an autopsy was conducted on the body of an elephant without sending its remnants to the laboratory. The subordinates concerned didn’t inform media persons about the death of the jumbo. An official said this on a condition of anonymity.
Most of the forest officers are staying on unauthorised leave playing hide and seek with the DFO.
This apart, Government funds meant for development of the jungle and protection of wildlife have been embezzled, alleged a retired forest officer.
“CAMPA funds have been grossly misutilised here in this fiscal,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, local environmentalists have demanded a high-level inquiry into the allegations.