Several stringent measures for the accused in red sanders smuggling cases are on the cards such as withdrawal of ration cards, LPG connections and withholding the subsidies under all government welfare schemes, Kadapa Joint Collector M. Rama Rao has said, adding that such moves will act as a deterrent to the offenders.
Briefing the media on the deliberations of Kadapa District Coordination meeting with police and forest officials at the District Police Office here on Monday, he said that the land owners and lessees would be brought to book, if red sander dumps were detected on their agricultural fields, plantations and orchards.
Base camps would be set up in forest areas by forest and police officials to step up vigil on smuggling activities, Kurnool Range DIG Muralikrishna said.
“Proposals for setting up repeater stations in forest areas to strengthen the communication system to get quicker information about smuggling activities have been submitted. The scope for tracking the movements of red sander smugglers and vehicles ferrying the felled logs using Global Positioning System (GPS) would be explored, Mr. Muralikrishna said.
Task forceA Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force would be constituted soon, with the DIG, SP, six Circle Inspectors, Conservator of Forests and Deputy Forest Range Officers as its members under the provisions of G.O. 217, Rayalaseema DIG B.Balakrishna said, adding that the Preventive Detention Act (PD) would be invoked against some offenders through District Collector.
Further, massive awareness campaigns had been planned to educate residents of forest-fringe villages against red sander smuggling. Drama troupes and Kala Jathas under the supervision of SP Navin Gulati will undertake the campaign, the DIG said. The red sander depots at Kadapa, Proddatur and Badvel were being fenced to protect the logs stored there, Proddatur DFO Sivasankar Reddy said.
Referring to arrest of 11 APSRTC drivers from Kurnool district for transporting the labourers engaged to fell red sanders trees, the DIG said an inquiry was on and some more arrests were likely be made.
Posters were also prepared in Tamil to create awareness among the labourers being hired from Tamil Nadu.
The workers are felling the trees within two hours of their arrival and transporting them through stolen vehicles procured from Tamil Nadu. Police and forest officials must be more vigilant and act swiftly, the DIG said.
