Stop Wood smuggling says KCR

KCR
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Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao said, that, under any circumstances, the wood smuggling in Telangana State forests area shall be brought down to Zero. The CM instructed the forest officials to take support from the police and with an iron hand, the PD Act should be revoked wherever necessary on smugglers who frequently indulge in smuggling forests wood. CM also instructed that however influenced might be the wood smugglers and whatever political party they belong action should be initiated against them.

He said, that, the state shall be divided into four parts and action plan should be drawn for environmental protection. The CM suggested that an action plan should be evolved on crores of the plantation of saplings throughout state, forest rejuvenation, greenery development in and around Hyderabad city and control of wood smuggling.

CM held a review meeting on Environment protection and development of forest area on Monday in Pragathi Bhavan.

Chief Minister KCR

 

“Trees are grown naturally in the forest areas. The maximum greenery is available through the forest only. If these forests disappear slowly there is no use in taking up programmes like Haritha haram. Protection of forests means protection of greenery. Due to forest wood smuggling, the forests face a lot of problems in some parts of the state forest areas the wood smuggling is rampant.

For some people, wood smuggling has become a profession. Such of these people and the areas where they involve in smuggling are to be identified. There committed forest officials should be deployed. By taking the help of the police, forest officials should develop an action plan. Taking the support of armed police teams smuggling should be brought down to Zero.

Whoever is indulging in wood smuggling shall not be tolerated. Stringent action shall be initiated against them. If any officer of the department who supports smuggling shall be identified and action should be taken against them. Any political leader from any party if indulges in wood smuggling should not be left out without action.

If any TRS leader indulges in wood smuggling action should be taken against them also. Earlier on the pretext that due to Naxalites the officials were unable to go deep into the forests and now there is no such problem.

Let the officers work with the commitment with the objective to protect forests. Police and forest officials should hold a joint meeting and develop an action plan to control smuggling” said the CM.

CM said, that, forest officials frequently confess that they would provide any quantity of wood to certain influential people when they construct their houses. He said that this is possible due to illegal felling of the forests and such an activity should be done away. He also said that the management of sawmills also regularised and no fresh licences to be issued to new sawmills.

The CM suggested that along with forest protection rejuvenation of forests to substitute the loss due to forest felling should also be taken up. Rootstock should be made use of while rejuvenating the forests. He said that more than the social forestry it is easier to develop forests in the forest area.

“The number of saplings to be planted as part of Telanganaku Haritha haram should be increased year after year. During the next monsoon, 100 Crore of saplings should be planted. Action plan for this should be developed “said the CM.

“In Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Area 1,50,000 acres of forests blocks. However, there are no forests in that. In these blocks, large-scale plantation should be done. In the country capital New Delhi there is a lot of air pollution which is due to lack of trees and due to vehicle pollution. In Hyderabad also, the number of vehicles is increasing day by day. Correspondingly the pollution is also increasing to avoid this the only solution is growing trees, every park and every forest block massive plantation should take place. Around Hyderabad, by the end of the next three years, there shall be a feeling to the people that they are living in a forest area. Form as many walking clubs as possible” said the CM.

The CM said, that, there is no dearth of funds and funds can be drawn from CAMPA,MGNREGA, budgetary provision and funds from municipalities.

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