Forest Department plans own police stations to curb smuggling

Nellore: Forest Department is planning to establish Forest Police Stations to curb red sanders smuggling from Seshachalam forest. The officials have been emboldened to take the step following the State government providing firearms to them.

Javadhu Malai or Javadhu Hills are an extension of the Eastern Ghats close to Vellore and Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu where many labourers are engaged in tree cutting.These labourers have been deployed in Seshachalam forest for cutting red sanders for illegal transportation.

Red sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) has so far been carrying out operation to curb smuggling. Now the Forest field staff too will undertake anti-smuggling activities. Red sanders spread in around 25,000 hectares in Veligonda forests.

Officials said Nellore is a shelter zone for the smugglers who cut the wood in Seshachalam forest, store in Nellore and transport illegally to Chennai for shipping to several countries. Though there are some check-posts, they are practically failing to control illegal transportation.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests N Prateep Kumar, who visited district, said the Forest officialswere now focusing on establishing Forest Police Stations in the district to curb smuggling. The officials would soon visit Kerala to study the Forest Police Station set up in the State.

A beat officer is supposed to take care of an area of 24 square kilometres and now the officials proposed to reduce the area to 15 sq. km considering human difficulties. Now, the Kerala government set up Forest Police Stations similar to the police stations for and the Rajasthan government too dida good work in afforestation practices.

Officials are sending a team of officials from the department to Kerala and Rajasthan to study the model there. There are six ranges in Nellore district and three to four stations may be set up for each range. But senior officials felt that the State government should first identify boundaries of reserved forests through notification for a clarity.