Story on Red sanders from Kadapa
Not withstanding the determination of chief minister N.Chandra Babu Naidu to put an end to the menace of red sander smuggling in Kadapa district continued unabated in various methods leads posing a threat to the very survival of the precious endemic trees in Seshachalam forest due to several reasons.
Despite police administration adopting different methods to curb the illegal transportation of Red sanders, but they were not successful in that aspect. Seizure of Rs about 20 crores worth red sanders in the last couple of years and imposing PD Act on 30 more smugglers by kadapa police witnessed the intensity of such illigal trade.
These reasons includes ineffective laws, abetment of smugglers by the forest staff, political patronage , scarcity of staff, lack of proper communication facilities, vehicles weaponry support, most importantly gaining the entry of wood cutters belongs to one particular tribe called ‘Malai Makkal ‘ of Juvvadi malai area in Tamil nadu state is one of the main reasons of Red sandal smuggling continued unabated.
“ Despite the police, special task force, forest department striving hard to curb the ‘R’ smuggling as they able to nab several international , and national , and interstate smugglers but it seems to be a mammoth task for us preventing the entry of the wood cutters in to the forest as they are adopting several vulnerable methods. About 1500 wood cutters were arrested since last two years , but infiltration in to the Seshachalam forest seems to be continued “ said an official on the condition anonymity to the Hans India.
Earlier these people use to gain the entry of Seshachalam forest after reaching to Mangalam located out skirts of Tirupati either by buses or trains, later going through dense forest by walk for reaching the destinations . Following intensification of checkups between Tirupati-Kadapa police seized number of buses , and private vehicles in recent period the culprits adopts several vulnerable methods to misguide the police.
It is learnt that the wood cutters reaching Tirupai from Chennai by ordinary buses , Via Naidu pet, Sulurpet, of Nellore district, later Srikala hastey of Chittor district in the disguise of devotees, later boarding passenger trains running between Tirupati-Guntakal popularly known as ‘Dongala bandi’ which are running only during night times to avoid checking.
After reaching Guntakal they dispersed to the Mudhanuru, Jammalamadugu, Yerraguntla, Mydukuru, Kamalapuram in Kadapa district , by private vehicles and staying for some time in the temples and Ashrams by the way of misguiding police.
A official opined that it is easy to identify the Malaimakkal tribal as they appeared with thin body language, with black color, and resemblance is different comparatively with others. But the problem is they are taking shelters at the pilgrimage centers, temples, Spiritual Centers (Ashrams ) , some in government hospitals with various reasons. After some days slowly they gain the entry of Seshachalam forest he said. And more over following innumerable number of labor attending for house construction works in Kadapa district another reason fails to identify the wood cutters.
Despite Andhra Pradesh police nab them in red hand while indulging in the crime, after they bailed out from the prisons they are being provided shelter, and employment reportedly by Tamil naidu government one of the main reason they repeatedly indulging in the crime.