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Provide sophisticated weapons to Forest Department staff: Sidda
Minister for Environment And Forests Sidda Raghava Rao has expressed displeasure on the higher officials of the forest department for their failure in providing sophisticated weapons to the forest department staff who are working in the thick forest areas where red sander smugglers are very active and pose a threat.
Vijayawada: Minister for Environment And Forests Sidda Raghava Rao has expressed displeasure on the higher officials of the forest department for their failure in providing sophisticated weapons to the forest department staff who are working in the thick forest areas where red sander smugglers are very active and pose a threat.
He said the forest department staff needs sophisticated weapons to defend themselves in case of attack by the red sander smugglers, who are active in many parts of Rayalaseema and some areas of Nellore district.
The Minister on Tuesday conducted a state-level review meeting with the forest department officials at PunnamiGhat on the banks of River Krishna and enquired about their security, forest green cover in the State, environmental issues etc. During the review meeting some higher officials expressed their problems saying that the ground level staff patrolling the red sander growing areas is facing threat from the smugglers.
The officials said the department staff has not fully equipped to defend themselves in case of attack made by the smugglers. An official said smugglers come into the forest areas of Chittoor district in a large number from Tamil Nadu to rob the valuable red sanders and they may attack the forest department staff if the latter are ill-equipped.
He further said the Department has imported 250 sophisticated weapons from abroad but customs officials had not cleared these weapons due to non-payment of customs duty as per the rule. He said the forest department has sought exemption of customs duty. Responding to it, the minister questioned the higher officials why they have not paid the customs duty and instructed the officials to pay the duty immediately and handover the weapons to the staff.
He questioned how the forest department staff would work in risky forest areas without sufficient weapons. He further said the State Government is very serious about the protection of red sanders in the State and would take all measures to protect the valuable forest property at any cost.
