Save environment
Special cell officials to report of smuggling to forest dept
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Thursday said stern action will be taken against smugglers who resort to illegal chopping and transport of wood.
Speaking at the inauguration of the sixth phase of Harithaharam in Narsapur, Medak district, Rao disclosed that a special cell has set up to keep strict vigil on the smuggling of forest products, particularly teak and other costly wood.
Rao said that the special cell will be function under the direct supervision of the secretary to the forest department. Officials in the special cell, which includes the forest and police departments, will report to the secretary on incidents of smuggling.
Rao assured them of all the support from his office. He appealed for people’s participation in reviving lost forest cover and asked people living in the peripheries of forests to become watchdogs.
Rao said, “Smugglers used to have political backing in the days of combined AP. The indifferent attitude of the then governments resulted in the vanishing of forests. Now no one can save the culprits. I have already started gathering information and directed officials to spare no one.”
He said that the forest department has been sanctioned 200 jobs and provided with 2200 vehicles so that they can work efficiently, Rao asked principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) R. Shobha to weed out elements in the department who help the smugglers.
“In addition to reviving 95,000 acres of forest in Medak district, take up additional greening under social forestry,” Rao said.
Reminiscing the days when Naraspur had a thick forest, Rao said “Movies used to be shot in the thick Narsapur forest as it is close to the city. I used to drive my own Fiat through the forest when I was a legislator. What has happened to that forest, where did it go?”
While recalling the days when the rulers of combined AP used to say that people of Telangana did not know how to cultivate, Rao said “We will be able to take up afforestation in a big way with huge amounts of funds. Telangana is a financially sound state.”