Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Environment and Forests K. Pawan Kalyan has ordered the officials to apprehend the criminal masterminds behind the smuggling of red sanders from the Seshachalam forest range and intensify surveillance in order to curb the illegal activity.
The State could no longer afford to have the precious wood smuggled out to other States and even to foreign shores, Mr. Pawan Kalyan said while addressing a review meeting on the subject on July 5 (Friday).
Mr. Pawan Kalyan enquired about the red sanders dump found at the Jagananna Colony at Potladurthi in Kadapa district, and ordered that the kingpins be exposed. The value of this dump that contained 158 logs was pegged at ₹1.60 crore.
He told the officials to trace such dumps in the State and bring the organised gangs to justice.
He also wanted the Forest Department officials to keep a close watch on those who were arrested for smuggling red sanders, and had since been set free on bail, so that their suspected links to the active networks could be detected, with due focus on bringing back the red sanders that were seized in Nepal.
Published - July 05, 2024 07:50 pm IST
