Bokaro, July 12: The state forest department has sanctioned Rs 91 crore for a phased build-up of security infrastructure in the forests of Bokaro, Dhanbad, Ramgarh and Hazaribagh (east) over the next five years. Largely left unmonitored due to paucity of manpower and effective gadgets, several forest areas have become criminal dens harbouring sandalwood smugglers and poachers while some even serving as safe havens for Maoists. The department is thus looking at equipping forest officials with modern communication and monitoring gadgets like a GPS system, walkie-talkies etc. Talking to The Telegraph, Dhanbad district forest officer Sanjiv Kumar, who has also worked in Bokaro, said modern gadgets would help officials keep track of wild animals, including rogue tuskers, that often attack nearby villages in search of food and water.