Forest department to get more staff to curb red sanders smuggling

Amaravati: Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Punetha while addressing the review meeting with higher officials of Forest department on red sanders smuggling, said the government was ready to provide necessary staff and vehicles to Forest department to check the widespread smuggling of red sanders in the State.

The Forest officials informed the chief secretary that the government earning revenue of Rs 1,612 crore from the auctioning of seized red sanders. They said that 4,000 tonnes of red sanders would be auctioned soon. As much as 14,318 tonnes of red sanders was seized along with 9,442 vehicles and 15,426 cases were filed against 28,670 persons, they said.