Red sanders being smuggled out: Minister

Hyderabad, Mar 14 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Minister for Forests and Environment Protection Satrucharla Vijayarama Raju today conceded that valuable red sanders wood was being smuggled out of the State from Chittoor and Kadapa districts.

Replying to a question by former Forest Minister and Ch Ayyannapatrudu and others of the TDP, the Minister said regular petrolling of vulnerable forest areas was being done and cases had been registered against habitual smugglers under the PD Act.

Mr Raju said communication was being improved, apart from involving tribal helpers and Vana Samrakshana Samiti groups for forest protection.

He said during the last year, 26 cases were booked under the PD Act and 24 persons were arrested.

He said due to efforts of the forest department, red sanders wood worth Rs 9.4 crore was seized from the smugglers and 313 vehicles were confiscated.

He also said an amount of 9.72 lakhs was collected as compounding fee.

Replying to supplementaries, he said Vana Samrakshana Samiti groups were being given 50 percent of the value of the wood they help seize.

He said though the PD Act was in force even during the erstwhile TDP regime, not a single case was booked.

He said even the fund set apart for distribution of incentives to tribals for helping protection of forests that was just Rs 10 lakh in 2003-04, was hiked to 21 lakh in 2004-05 and to Rs 25 lakh during 2005-06.

Similarly, he said while the TDP had not filled-up vacant posts in the forest department as there was a ban on recruitments, the Congress Government had started filling up the posts for effective protection of the forests.

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