Father-son duo held for felling mangroves

Officials of the forest department have taken a father-son duo into custody for causing destruction to mangrove species and felling trees in protected forest areas of Odisha's Kendrapara district.

The intruders were intercepted inside Batighar Reserve Forest areas under Mahakalpada block while they were pulling down standing mangrove and other classified forest species.

Some sharp tools used to pull down the trees were seized from the spot. Forest personnel also made a seizure of a mechanised speed boat, which the offenders had anchored at the nearby creek to ferry the logs, the officials said.

In the past one year, 70 people have been arrested for felling trees within the protected area, they said.
 

Pravash Jardar(52) and his son Bijoy Jardar(22) were remanded to jail custody after being arrested yesterday under sections 4, 14 and 21 of Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and various other provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Axes, other tools besides nylon ropes were seized from the possession of the duo, said Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (Wildlife) Forest Division, Bimal Prasanna Acharya.

In a related development, Bhitarkanika National Park authorities have launched a drive to evict squatters from the reserve forest area.

Over 50 cases have been slapped against several unauthorised occupiers under the forest law. Unlawful settlers have also been evicted from mangrove forest areas, Acharya said.

Forest areas mainly in Mahakalpada forest range where the tail end of the Mahanadi river system meander through and is crisscrossed by innumerable water-inlets, had come under human encroachment, which have been made encroachment-free.

"Fishing activity within the water bodies of the wildlife sanctuary and national park is a cognisable offence. The forest department has stepped up its vigil on any act of trespass into prohibited territories to ensure the safety of flora, fauna and fragile eco-system of Bhitarkanika," DFO Acharya said.