Vigilance forest unit officials along with the Nimapara police conducted raids and seized four illegally-run sawmills at Tulasipur Chhak under the Astaranga Forest Range in Puri Wild Life Division on Friday. Sawmill accessories with timber (fresh cut swan sizes and round logs) worth Rs 23 lakh were seized.
The sawmills were running without licences. Five forest cases under the Orissa Saw Mill and Saw Pit (Control) Act-1991 have been registered, informed an official release.