BHUBANESWAR: A joint forest raid was conducted by Vigilance Forest Wing, Cuttack and local forest staff of Dalijoda and Sukinda range after being tipped off about illegal excavation and transportation of morrum and black granite from a proposed reserve forest at Balarampur. During the search operation, officers traced five trucks loaded with morrum and black granite which was reportedly excavated from Balarampur proposed reserve forest and Charinangal proposed forest reserve.
“The vehicles were seized along with black granite metal and morrum worth Rs 66.56 lakh. We have registered five forest cases,” a Vigilance forest wing officer said. “Raid was also conducted at two illegal timber depots under Sukinda police limits and Kaliapani police limits. Subsequently, timber worth Rs 1.16 lakh was seized from the spots and two forest cases were registered in this regard,” he added.