The timber mafia, active in the Sheetalpani, Kusang and Padmatola reserve forest areas of Boudh district since the seventies, has kept the newly-formed Mahanadi Wildlife Division at Phulbani engaged ever since it was set up in July 12, 1999. Recently, officials of the division had to open fire to repulse an attmept of the mafia to smuggle timber from Sheetalpani forest.