Berhampur: Orissa Forest
Rangers Association (OFRA) on Thursday demanded formation of a
State Armed Forest Force (SAFF) on the lines of State Armed
Police Force (SAPF) for exclusive deployment to guard the
forest wealth in the state.
The association also demanded legal power to forest
rangers to use firearms to protect the forest and to register
case against the offenders under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The demands came in the wake of increasing attack on
forest personnel in the state by the timber smugglers.
In the latest incident, a group of timber smugglers
killed a forester and injured five other officials in
Sarandapada forest under Ranapur police station in Nayagarh
district on Tuesday night.
Forest personnel are being attacked by the timber
mafias frequently, president of the association R N
Panda said.
While at least six forest officials were killed either
by timber smugglers or Maoists in last one-and half years,
several others were crippled, he claimed.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, January 21, 2010, 18:22