Even after cutting and smuggling of sandalwood trees of around Rs 40 lakh from VIPs' office premises and residential quarters, including those of the Conservator of Forests, and poaching of three elephants at the Satkosia Sanctuary with the connivance of a forester; no action has yet been taken against any culprit.

Getting all vital information due to his close proximity with some top forest officials, the forester in question allegedly leaked it to smugglers. Now some illegal car painting units are out for the rescue of the forester. Without taking any additional trained force, the administration has formed a Special Task Force only to mislead the people, said sources.

Due to rapid industrialisation in and around Angul, there is tremendous pressure on the local forest. Everyday, lakhs of smuggled wood are seized by the forest personnel, but the smugglers are allowed to escape. The seized timber is handed over to the State Forest Corporation and subsequently handed over to the VIPs.

Even though the Chief Minister is in charge of the Forest Department, a few forest officials here seem to have handed over the forest administration to smugglers. The Wildlife Department had recommended to the Collectors of Angul and Cuttack to book the eight forest offenders under NSA in May 2004. However, no action has been taken against them as yet.