Centre okays auction of red sander stocks

Though the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) had given a one-time permission to sell the entire stock, considerable delay took place in securing the approval of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The forest officials in State are now making detailed assessment of the available stocks at various godowns in Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool and Nellore districts and also at a few other places. Once a report is finalized, the forest department may call global tenders, said official sources

The one-time clearance will be in force for six months and there may not be any further extension. The State has to clear the stocks by that time. CITES’ permission was obtained for sale and export of seized red sander logs and value-added pieces in last August itself. However, not a single log could be disposed so far. The delay was on the part of the Central Government.

Speaking to The Hans India, P Ravi Kumar, the Conservator of Forests (Tirupati Circle), confirmed the news and said the Centre had asked sale of logs within six months through a global tender process. Officials in Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool, Nellore and parts of Anantapur districts already started detailing the stocks. He observed it would take at least two weeks to finalise the reports. Thereafter, the tender process would commence. At present, the Tirupati circle has about 8,000 tonnes of red sander at various stock points in different forms. Price would be decided category-wise. Tirupati DFO G Srinivasulu said that under his jurisdiction there were about 1,400 tonnes of stock.