All permissions for Forest produce will be on online: Prateep Kumar

Amaravathi: The forest department will introduce online system for all permissions for all forest produce, sale, cutting of wood, transportation and others to avoid corruption.

Speaking to The Hans India, N Prateep Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, who is also Head of Forest Forces informed that the online system will be easy in getting the permissions without attending forest offices by the public and businessmen in the state. He also informed that the department is taking a new initiative to establish the Forest Stations, like that of the police stations. The forest department also drew a plan of action to protect the forest produce in the state, by establishing the Forest Stations, like that of the Police Stations. Prateem Kumar also revealed many ideas to be implemented in the course of time by the department.

In fact, the corruption is there in the department from giving permission to cut the trees, transportation, value addition and finally before selling the fine produce in the market.

With an aim to make a paradigm shift in the entire administration procedure, the department has came with an alternative idea to give permissions through online.

Prateep Kumar also revealed the plan of action to be implemented in Red Sanders online auction. There are 5000 Metric Tons of seized Red Sanders available with the state government right now. Instead of selling it in a big lots like what the previous government did, the present government has been taking different ideas into consideration. He informed that the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has suggested the Forest Department to find the possibility of adding value to the Red Sanders instead of selling them as a raw material.

On the other hand, an interesting study on the sales vis a vis illegal activities on Red Sanders over a period of more than a decade revealed stunning facts in controlling the smuggling. When the government restrict the sales, there was a steep increase in seizures.

The PCCF explained that during 2006-08, there was no sale of the Red Sanders which was resulted in high seizure. During the period from 2009-10 to 2013-14 also the sale was suspended and resulted in increase of seizures.

On the other hand, the government commenced the regular sale of Red Sanders in the financial year of 2014-15, resulted in drastic reduction of seizures. The seizure remained low from 2014-19 because of continued regular sale of Red Sanders.

Average sale from the year 2005-06 to 2018-19 is about 900 mt per year. The study further revealed that the market demand of Red Sanders wood is about 1000 mt per year. Hence, the department is planning to get permission from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Govt of India (MoEF & CC) and also from Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) for sale of the 1000 mt per year for the five financial years.

Prateep Kumar observed that if the government will sell the Red Sanders wood as per the market demand, then it will be easy to control the illegal activities in the Forest area. Apart from getting the financial benefits, this study would help in reducing the illegal sale of Red Sanders in the market.

China and Japan are the major destinations of export from Andhra Pradesh for the Red Sanders.

He also informed that the Chief Minister gave permission to fill all vacancies in the department. There are around 2300 vacancies in the department and all to be filled in the ensuing notification.