Telkoi: The mafia continues to loot laterite stone and murram in the reserve forest of Ranibeda under Telkoi forest range in Keonjhar district, causing a huge loss of revenue to the state exchequer.
The mafia has cleared patches of forest to illegally mine murram and laterite. A large number of trees have been felled for such unlawful activities, which are away from the sight of the forest and revenue department officials.
Locals alleged that some contractors and stone mafia have virtually laid siege to the reserve forest while the forest department is blinking at the illegality. Local residents expressed their concern over the fast depletion of forests as well as threat to wild animals in the area.
Though the villagers had brought the issue to the notice of the forest department, no step is being taken to check the illegality and act against the mafia that is allegedly ruling the roost in the area.
Mining has created huge pits and craters in the forest, the villagers said, adding, “We don’t let our domestic animals graze in the forest as we fear they would fall into the pits.”
Besides, they pointed out, valuable trees are vanishing and the loss of forest has adversely impacted their livelihood.
Locals Kalamani Dandapat, Kumuda Nayak, Rama Nayak, Bikaram Nayak, Nepal Nayak and Tutu Nayak demanded that the forest department take immediate steps to save the woods from the stone and murram mafia.
When asked about the allegations, ranger Pitambar Nayak said officials of the Bimala forest beat have been asked to act against the mafia engaged in plundering forests.
