Two kendu leaf godowns set on fire

Patnagarh: Two kendu leaf godowns were set on fire by unknown miscreants at Maharapadar and Damanimal villages under Khaprakhol forest range under Patnagarh block in Bolangir district in the wee hours today.

Reports said some people noticed fire billowing out of the two godowns early in the and informed the Forest department and the Fire brigade.

While the godown at Damanimal was completely gutted due to non-availability of water, Fire brigade personnel managed to recover half the kendu leaves stocked at the Maharapadar godown.

Talking to OTV, Patnagarh DFO Yashobant Sethi said there were 5,50,950 bundles of kendu leaves in the two godowns, which the Forest department had purchased at Rs 4,23,630. “The state government would have got a revenue of about Rs 12 lakh if the kendu leaves were processed,” he added.