Villagers protest against forest guards in Odisha

BARIPADA: Residents of Halada panchayat on Friday protested demanding action against a forest department official posted with Rairangpur division for allegedly encroaching large tracts of forest in a reserve forest near Badabaikala village.

The villagers staged the protest in front of the office of Rairangpur sub-collector and DFO. The protesters said they had filed a complaint with Rairangpur town police station against the employee. They said that the forest staff has been selling forest produce and timber to the mafia for the past 20 years after encroaching on the forest area. The villagers submitted memoranda to Rairangpur DFO, sub-collector, tehsildar and Rairangpur town IIC seeking their intervention to save the reserve forest.

Sanjeeb Gopal, a protester, said the forest is a treasure trove of medicinal plants and valuable trees planted by locals and the forest department over the years. However, the staff sold the produce to the mafia and did not allow any locals to enter the forest. A case has also been registered with the Rairangpur town police station in this regard by the villagers, but no action has been taken so far, he said.

Rairangpur DFO, Sibaprasad Rath said that based on allegations by villagers, he conducted a spot survey and it came to light that the forest falls under the Revenue Department and the staff has been troubled for the past 20 years. Rairangpur sub-collector Saroj Das said that action will be taken based on the report of the survey conducted by the DFO.