The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Gangapur major hub of timber mafia

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Sunday, Feb 03, 2008
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Gangapur major hub of timber mafia

Staff Reporter

It is using 200 carpenter families for its nefarious trade

Tribals worried over depletion of forest cover
Illicit transaction of around Rs.10 lakh worth of timber occurs every day

BERHAMPUR: Gangapur, a small village in Sorada block of Ganjam district has become a major hub of illicit timber mafia.

Its strategic location has proved to be a major help for this village to get involved in this illicit trade. Gangapur has proximity with three major forest divisions of south Orissa, the Ghumusar south division of Ganjam district, Baliguda forest division of Kandhmal district and Paralakhemundi forest division of Gajapati district. According to sources the timber mafia is using 200 traditional carpenter families of this village as middlemen of their nefarious trade.

As these families are united and have a intricate communication network all around the area it has become hard for the police officials to raid and destroy this illicit den of timber mafia.

The forest officials also accept that Gangapur has become a major hub of timber mafia as from here timber could be transported to anywhere in the State. It is alleged that several illicit saw mills operate in the village. But the villagers are too united to let any outsider especially police or forest official enter it. As they have a good communication network they are able to dodge the Forest Department and send truck loads of timber to different places.

At times some trucks fall in the hands of forest officials. On Saturday one such truck loaded with illegal timber from Gangapur was nabbed by sleuths of Forest Department near Mahuri Kalua on the outskirts of the city. The Berhampur DFO, A.K.Jena said this illicit transportation of timber can only be stopped if the illicit timber den at Gangapur gets destroyed.

The tribals of the area are also worried over the depletion of forest cover due to the activities of timber mafia, who have their base at Gangapur. About two weeks back leaders of tribal organisation, Lok Sangram Manch (LSM) had met the Berhampur conservator of forests demanding strict action against the timber mafia who are using poor dalits on daily wages to destroy the forests, which is the livelihood of tribals.Leader of Lok Sangram Manch (LSM), B.C.Sarangi alleged that illicit transaction of around Rs.10 lakh worth of timber occurs at Gangapur every day.

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