In the current season till date, nearly 13.50 lakh standard sacks of tendu leaves have been collected from forests through primary forest produce cooperative societies in Chhattisgarh, which is nearly 70 percent of the total target, according to an official estimate.

There is tremendous enthusiasm among tendu leave collectors as the collection rate has been hiked from Rs 2500 to Rs 4000 per standard sack, a government statement said.

Official sources further informed that in this season till date, Bastar region had collected more tendu leaves sacks than the set target. 1 lakh 26 thousand standard sacks were collected as against the target of One lakh 11 thousand standard sacks of tendu patta at collection centers of Bijapur, Sukma, Dantewada and Bastar district unions of Jagdalpur forest circle, sources informed.

Rakesh Chaturvedi, Managing Director of Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce (Trade and Development) alerted all the District Forest Officials about illegal trafficking of tendu leaves at the bordering districts of the state.

Illegal trafficking of tendu leaves is also reported in the bordering districts of Balarampur range, official sources informed.

Forest officials nabbed a multi utility vehicle from Dhamni range of Balrampur at Uttar Pradesh border recently and seized 52 thousand sacks, sources said.

Similarly illegal trafficking of tendu leaves was also checked at Ramnagarkala village of Balrampur range in Jharkhand border from where five motor cycles were seized while illegally transporting tendu leaves.