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Forest staff to get armed escort
Forest Staff to Get Armed Escort, Red Sanders Smuggling in Tirupati. The Forest department has initiated a slew of measures to strengthen its force to tackle the menace of red sanders smuggling in districts.
Govt unveils steps to curb red sanders smuggling
- 20 armed police to be deployed in each forest division
- They will be posted in Tirupati immediately
- Arms procurement to be completed in three months
Tirupati: The Forest department has initiated a slew of measures to strengthen its force to tackle the menace of red sanders smuggling in districts.
Principal Secretary and Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) BSS Reddy told press persons here on Monday that the government had agreed to depute 20 armed police personnel in each forest division, where red sanders smuggling was rampant. They would function under the DFO, who would deploy them wherever required. The CCF said they would be posted immediately in Tirupati division, which had been witnessing maximum incidents of red sanders smuggling. The armed police would be also deputed to other divisions in the districts prone for red sander smuggling. The department would requisition local police, including armed staff, depending on exigencies.
A proposal sent to the government to allot Grey Hounds for Tirupati division to plush out smugglers from the Seshachalam forest range. The personnel would be equipped with 250 double-barrel guns and 150 rifles, he said.
The official informed that the process of procuring weapons for the forest staff was in the final stage, and would be completed in three months. The department was also exploring the possibility of getting police weapons.
Admitting that the loss of two officials to smugglers on Sunday marred the field staff’s confidence, he said every effort was being made to boost their morale with all-out support from the government.
The department recommended to the government to grant relief to the bereaved families of Forest staff on a par with that being given to police personnel killed by extremists. The other measures being pressed were listing of forest offences under the PD Act so that the maximum imprisonment could be increased to seven years, and the penalty hiked to the maximum amount of Rs 10 lakh, besides making smuggling a non-bailable offence.
To a question whether the Tirupati staff could adequately deal with smugglers, he said strengthening the department was a continuous process. Of the 3,800 personnel of various cadres, a sizable number had been posted in Tirupati.
Besides, each beat area was reduced for effective control of offences. On the alleged insiders role in abetting smuggling, he said there might be one or two black sheep, but it was not proper to blame the department. In any case, complicity by staff would invite stringent action, and none would be spared, he added.
