Steps to curb red sanders smuggling to be intensified

Tirupati: In order to prevent the red sanders logs smuggling from Rayalaseema and Nellore districts to China and other South East Asian countries via Chennai, a highlevel meeting was held at private hotel here on Friday in which higher officials from Forest, Police and DRI of AP, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka states participated.  

AP Home Secretary Anuradha, Principal Conservator of Forests  Mohd Iliyas Rizvi and Additional PCF AK Jha have conducted the proceedings of the meeting and discussed the key issues over the illegal red sanders transport.

Secretary Home Anuradha, addressing the officials, said that AP government had already taken many measures to curb the illicit red sanders smuggling in the State.  Support from neighbouring States  is needed to take action against the master minds who are involved in the  smuggling activities from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka states, she stated. 

Later,  The Red Sander Anti Smuggling Task Force ( RSASTF) IG Of Police M Kantha Rao explained the red sanders smuggling activities from Seshachalam to China, how the smugglers have been exporting tonnes of   logs every day. He gave a power point presentation on the issue.

Similarly, task force police exhibited the  weapons, groceries and   axe, wood cutting blades at the meeting.  The officials of three states have decided  to establish the checkposts at state border areas, and also exchange the intelligence inputs regarding smuggling activities. Mean while extending cooperation in executing the pending NBWs against the habitual smugglers in TamilNadu as well as Karnataka.

More over AP forest officials have asked the TN and Karnataka forest officials to create awareness among the local smugglers in their respective areas to curb smuggling of red sanders to China.  They also decided to use the inputs of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence at ports to check the cargo containers anywhere in India to prevent smuggling of red sanders. 

In the meeting regional additional CCF of Forest department, TamilNadu KK Koushal( Vellore ), A Prasad,  Additional Director, DRI (Hyderabad) Narendra Kumar and Dy Commissioner, customs, Chennai participated.  Tirupati wild life division DFO Nagarjuna Reddy and other local forest officials made the  arrangements for the meeting.