Boinda: Acting on tip-off, forest officials Monday arrested four persons for setting fire to the Taleipathar reserve forest under Dhandatopa forest range in Angul district to prepare charcoal.
The accused Kuna Pradhan, 35, Anam Pradhan, 45, Girish Pradhan, 35, and Jagabandhu Pradhan, 45, of Sanahula village under Thakurgad police limits. Four sacks of charcoal and four bicycles were seized from the arrested men. A case was registered and the accused were produced in the Athamallik court.
They were loading the charcoal sacks on their bicycles when the forest team raided the place and arrested them. Dhandatopa ranger Rahas Sahu, forester Sanjay Behera, Subrat Satpathy, forest guard Anjali Behera participated in the raid.
The accused, all habitual offenders, make a living by burning trees and preparing charcoal which they sale in markets. Such indiscriminate act of burning trees often results in major forest fires and leads to environmental pollution.
Observers said the forest department should conduct awareness programmes in villages adjoining forests to deter villagers from setting fire to forests.
PNN