In a swift and decisive crackdown on illegal timber operations, the Forest Wing of Odisha Vigilance today (24 June 2026) busted an unlicensed sawmill at Badheisahi (Nachhipur) village under Kataka Sadar police station.
Acting on reliable intelligence, the joint team raided the site and seized sawmill accessories along with 13.81 Cft of valuable timber. The sawmill was found running without any valid licence, in direct violation of Section-4 of the Orissa Sawmill and Sawpit (Control) Act, 1991.
While the owner was absent, his son Saswat Ranjan Baral was caught red-handed operating the illegal unit. He was immediately arrested and forwarded to court.
During further search, the team also detected and seized 53.508 Cft of illegally stacked round teak timber at the end of Nachhipur village.
Total haul: 67.318 Cft of valuable timber + sawmill accessories worth ₹13,52,404.
Three forest cases have been registered — OR Case No. 5PH, UD Case No. 5PH & UD Case No. 6PH of 2026-27 — at Phulnakhara Range under City Forest Division, Bhubaneswar. The cases are under active investigation.
This successful operation once again demonstrates the Vigilance Directorate’s zero-tolerance approach towards illegal forest activities that threaten Odisha’s precious natural resources.
