MALKANGIRI: Tribals of seven blocks of the district have appealed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to open the proposed new forest division here for protecting the flora and fauna of the tribal villages. In a memorandum, tribals of Korkunda, Malkangiri, Kalimela, Podia, Mathili, Kudumulgumma, Khoriput blocks said that every year about 10,000 precious trees of Sal, Bija, Teak, Sisal of Jeypore forest division are being destroyed by timber mafia due to absence of a top forest officer in the district. As the forest division in Jeypore is over 200 km away from here and the divisional forest officer visits Malkangiri district casually, depletion of forest cover couldn't be controlled effectively in these areas, they added. They further said, schemes related to sal seed, tamarind and other forest produce collection have not been properly worked out in tribal areas as these go on without direct supervision of a top forest officer. ''As forest officers of the present division are mute spectators to the deforestation and forest cover is on the verge of extinction,'' tribals appealed the Chief Minister to ensure creation of a new forest division at Malkangiri immediately.