Cuttack, Oct. 21: Wildlife Society of Odisha (WSO) has expressed grave concern over the "annihilation" of tiger and elephant habitat in Similipal Tiger Reserve due to unchecked plundering of the forests for firewood.
Every day, an estimated 1,500 tonnes of firewood worth Rs 60 lakh is being illegally transported out of the tiger reserve under Baripada forest division, the WSO has alleged in a petition to the Principal chief conservator of forests (Odisha), urging prompt action against the smugglers as well as the concerned field staff members.
The WSO, on the basis of a field survey conducted by it in the second week of this month, claimed that every day at least 2,000 cycle loads of firewood (600 tonnes) worth Rs 24 lakh was being smuggled into Baripada town from the tiger reserve area through the Lulung-Pithabata-Astia bridge, Jhinei-Baldiha-Sai Mandir and Besarpani-Kendua-Raghu Dhaba road routes.
According to the petition, apart from the flow of illicit firewood into Baripada town, the survey had further revealed that at least 3,000 cycle loads move out from the tiger reserve at Dukura, Bangriposi, Udala, Kaptipada and Sarat areas.
"Thus, on an average, 5,000 cycle loads of firewood are being extracted from Similipal Tiger Reserve every day now in Baripada division alone," WSO secretary Biswajit Mohanty claimed.
"Each of these cycles, specially designed with rickshaw wheels and reinforced steel frames, carry a minimum quantity of 300 kg firewood. Thus, a total of 1,500 tonnes of firewood worth Rs 60 lakh at Rs 400 per quintal is being illegally transported out of the tiger reserve every day," the petition said.
"At least 70 per cent of the 600 tonnes of illicit firewood entering Baripada town everyday is shipped out to Balasore areas and to Bengal on trucks and pick-up vans, while five firewood depots operate illegally inside the town," Mohanty claimed, while alleging that the massive firewood smuggling racket was thriving due to "active connivance of field staff".
In his petition on October 14, Mohanty questioned the serious lack of enforcement, and said: "Unless bribery is stopped and departmental proceedings are lodged against senior field officers, the smuggling will not stop."
"The going bribe rate is Rs 50 for each cycle. Hence, a total collection of Rs 2.5 lakh at Rs 50X5000 cycles is being earned by the local guards every day. The annual collection of bribes is a shocking amount of Rs 7.5 crore," Mohanty said in his appeal.
He also called for "the dire need to save Similipal from further loss of forests which are vital for tigers and elephants".
