Forest department is fast losing its grip over the Machkot Forest Circle bordering Jagdalpur as the wood smugglers have set their eyes on this forest and are indulged in rampant felling of trees without any fear.
In Kawapal, Dhanpunji and Puspal areas saws and axel of timber Mafia were seen in action fearlessly even as a number of fallen trees and rampikes were found scattered all over on a visit to the area with none of the tree trunks or rampike wearing any marking of the department.
Some people were found carrying wood logs on the way to the forest circle and when they were asked how did they cut the treeIJ The villagers tersely replied that the forest was theirs and they were taking the wood for construction of a house. However, District Forest officer tried to hush up the issue by mere terming it as ‘Koop Katai’.
Notably, timber mafia active in Machkot areas are always equipped with dangerous weapons and firearms and at a number of occasions have even attacked the forest employees on being challenged. Only recently the goons of forest mafia had attacked forest guard Jugdhar Patel.
Unfortunately, unarmed forest guards have to figh against the forest mafia armed with sophisticated weapons. A number of times, to equip forest guards with modern weapons have been raised but nothing has been done towards this end fearing that arms of forest guards could be looted as the area is hit by Maoist insurgency.
Due to lack of forest on the other side of the state border, people from Odisha are intruding in Machkot area and smuggle the timber out to the neighbouring State. Besides dependence of villagers on the forest for their daily needs and pressure of providing wood for handicraft work is also on the Machkot forest.
According to forest officials, due to increase in activities of Maoists in the area conducting regular check and searching in Machkot area was not possible. The condition worsens specially during monsoon when the transportation virtually becomes impossible and taking advantage of that the wood smugglers become active.
However, DFO of Machkot forest circle Anil Soni claimed that at several places in Machkot area ‘koop katai’ was being done and there was hardly any truth in the report of smuggling of timber from the area.
At the same time, circle officer of Machkot range R R Kashyap said that since the Machkot Range is spread in large area there is always pressure of wood smugglers activities who are also equipped with firearms as well but even after that regular searching operation is held in the area with the help of members of forest management committees.