Orissa to crack down on timber mafia

In a bid to arrest the widespread illegal trade in smuggled timber and other forest produce in the state, the Orissa forest department has recently announced a reward scheme for informers and forest officers leading to detection and seizure of such illicit produce.

Every year, an estimated Rs.1000 crore of timber, firewood , kendu leaf, sal leaf, minerals and banned NTFP items are smuggled out from Orissa's forests.

In recent years, smuggling of iron ore from reserve forests of Sundargarh and Keonjhar has become big business and a well organized mining mafia operates it by collusion with local forest and mining department officials.

Under the notification, "The Orissa Rewards for Detection of Forest Offences Rules, 2004", an amount of 25 per cent of the sale value of the forest goods or vehicles seized and sold shall be paid as reward.

Any person or vana suraksha samiti who passes on information leading to the seizure of the illicit timber or vehicles used for committing the offence is entitled to 45 per cent of the amount.

The forest officers and staff who effect the seizure are entitled to 45 per cent of the reward which shall be split equally between all officers and staff irrespective of their rank if the seizure was made by a group.

Ten per cent of the amount shall be retained in a welfare fund run by the divisional forest officer (DFO) which is to be used for special reward in case of death or disability of forest staff.

While welcoming the government's on reward scheme, Wildlife Society of Orissa has said, this can now provide financial incentive to persons who risk their lives in passing on vital information about the timber mafia.

It is also felt that forest officials will be encouraged to undertake prompt raids and make seizures due to the attraction of the reward.

However, the objective of the scheme may fail if the large number of vacancies in the field staff are not filled up and adequate arms and patrol vehicles are not provided to the staff so that the department is able to strike effectively as and when it receives information.

Biswajit Mohanty, secretary Wildlife Society of Orissa rued the fact that the notification did not provide for rewards in case of seizures of wildlife products which do not have a market value since their sale is banned under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Though considerable risk might be borne by a informer who passes on information about wildlife trade and poachers, in the event of seizure, he will not be eligible for any reward since the seized product cannot be sold.

There is rampant trade in Orissa in wildlife products like ivory, tiger skin, tiger bones, skins of reptiles, live species of wildlife like birds, bears, leopard cubs,etc.

The Wildlife Society of Orissa has demanded that the government amend these rules to provide for payment of reward in case of seizures of wildlife products.

A lump sum reward amount can be offered for each item which is seized with respect to pieces or weight.