KCR's strict action on wood smuggling

 SMTV Desk 2019-01-27 10:11:42  Chandrasekhar Rao, Rajiv Sharma, SK. Joshi, Mahender Reddy, PK Jah, DG Jitender, Naveen Chand, Stephen Ravindra, Nagi Reddy, Raghuveer, Bhoopal Reddy, Priyanka Varghese, Vemula Prashanth Reddy, Balka Suman, Karne Prabhakar, Shambhipoor Raju, Sheri Subas
KCR's strict action on wood smuggling

Hyderabad, January 27: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao strongly warned the forest officers would act very serious in wood smuggling. KCR stated to forest officers to appoint officers of highest integrating, commitment and dedication in forest areas to protect the environment.

Rao hinted that check-post should maintain in forest area to see that not even a small piece of wood will be taken out of forest illegally. He has instructed to form a joint flying squad with armed police and police officials. He also stated that district collector, superintendent of Police and DFO together should evolve an action plan to protect the forests.


KCR conducted a high-level review meeting on Saturday at Pragathi Bhavan with senior police and forest officials on forest protection and afforestation. For this meeting Chief advisor to the government Rajiv Sharma, Chief Secretary SK. Joshi, DGP Mahender Reddy, PCCF PK Jah, additional DG Jitender, IGs Naveen Chand, Stephen Ravindra, Nagi Reddy, CCF Raghuveer, CMO Officers Bhoopal Reddy, Priyanka Varghese, MLAs Vemula Prashanth Reddy, Balka Suman, MLCs Karne Prabhakar, Shambhipoor Raju, Corporation Chairmen Sheri Subash Reddy, Gyadari Balamallu, Mareddy Srinivas Reddy are participated.

Rao said, “For improving greenery in the state, a multipronged strategy should be developed and implemented. This requires four types of actions to be initiated. Firstly, the existing forest needs to be protected in toto. Second, the lost forest needs to be rejuvenated. Third, in rural areas, social forestry has to be taken up. Fourth including Hyderabad and Warangal in all towns and cities and urban areas to avoid pollution greenery has to be developed.”


He also added, “With the slogan Protect the forest, increase the forest (Jungle Bachaavo, Jungle Badaavo) the forest missionary should proceed. There is no use in conducting programmes like Haritha haram to grow trees when from one side we lose the forests. Unless we protect the forests, and many programmes like Haritha Haram will not yield results. We should be very harsh in taking decisions to protect the forests. For this police and forest officials should work hand in hand. Armed police will help the forest department. The intelligence wing is totally at the work of identifying those who fell the forests illegally and smuggle the timber. Once they are identified action should be initiated against them. Smuggling should be brought down to zero levels. PD act should be applied against those who indulging smuggling."


"Smuggling is largely taking place in Adilabad, Khammam, Karimnagar and Warangal districts. We should identify the areas where illegal felling of forests is on large scale. There we should take care that not even a single tree is lost. The forest department to be the prepared list of very tough officers with high integrity, commitment, and dedication right from forest rangers, DFO to be deployed in forests areas that are susceptible to wood smuggling. Armed police protection will be provided to them. Check posts in the large numbers on all routes to and fro the forest areas are to be arranged jointly manned by police and forests officers. Even there also armed police are to be kept in the vigil. Not even a single tree should be subjected to illegal felling and subjected to encroachment in the forest.” Rao said.


He also said, “Only when there is 33% of greenery then there would be environment equilibrium. In Telangana according to official data, there are 24% forests but in effect, it would be only 12%. In forest areas, the situation is not so encouraging and very pathetic. In erstwhile Andhra Pradesh forest felling large scale. Even when losing lakhs of acres of forests, the Government remained as a silent spectator. It did not bother when there were large scale encroachments. Let us realize this now at least. Unless environment equilibrium is not maintained it is difficult for the human being to exist. The lost forest has to be rejuvenated. The whole of the forest should be filled with green trees.”