1,000 cr expected from red sanders e-auction : Minister Gopalakrishna

Tirupati: Minister for Environment and Forests Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy said that the State government will release the schedule for the second phase of global e-auction of red sanders logs on Monday. The Minister who was in the city on Sunday told media persons that the State government was all set to hold the second phase of global auctions of red sanders, most likely in the month of May.

Pointing out to the high demand for the precious wood in the international market, Gopalakrishna Reddy exuded confidence that the second phase of auction would fetch the State government a revenue of over Rs1000 crore. He observed that the consecutive global auctions of the red sanders wood in the log form would go a long way in addressing the smuggling menace as well over a period of time. He noted that once the demand' for the timber in the international markets is met through the government auctions, the smuggling menace would come down considerably soon.

“We strongly believe that once the demand are met, smuggling activities inside the Seshachalam forests would come down drastically over the next few months', observed the Minister. Reiterating that the State government was committed to preserve the red sanders species endemic to the Seshachalam biosphere, he added that the State would spend close to Rs 100 crores for the preservation and protection measures.

Shifting his focus onto the enquiry on the 'Seshachalam' encounter, the Minister reiterated that the enquiry was on the right track and law would take its own course. He added that the cops were able to gain leads of key red sanders smugglers based on the call records of the mobiles seized from the Seshachalam encounter spot where 20 alleged Tamil Nadu-based woodcutters were killed.