Koraput, Nov 23: Forest and police personnel have intensified patrolling in areas under Gupteswar forest range in Odisha’s tribal dominated Koraput district to prevent timber smuggling.
The protection mechanism has been strengthened particularly in Ramagiri reserve forest and Haldikund forest under Jeypore division and squads have been formed to intensify patrolling.
Left wing extremism-hit Gupteswar forest range bordering Chhattisgarh has seen an active timber mafia.
In the past two weeks, forest officials have arrested four persons and seized valuable sal and teak planks worth around Rs one lakh.
