VIJAYAWADA: Can the State government make a handsome revenue by selling the 2,000 odd metric tonnes of red sanders logs? Officials say it is premature to estimate the revenue as there are instances of bidders quoting the amount and not lifting the logs.
Though the auction held for sale of red sanders for the first time in 2014 got much hype, the government could not get the expected revenue. Despite some of the bidders quoting a mammoth `1.93 crore for a metric tonne of A-grade category logs, the auction disappointed the government as some bidders who claimed maximum lots of red sanders did not pay the money and the stock were left in the forest godown for three years. Expecting to generate revenue through sale of the precious red sanders logs, which have a great demand in China, Japan and some other nations, the government so far has organised red sanders auction five times, but failed to get expected revenue.
From the beginning of the auction, Forest department officials suspected that bidders are quoting high amount at the behest of the red sanders smugglers and ruining the opportunities of the State to earn revenue out of the sale of red sanders.
“The intention behind organising red sanders auction is not only to generate revenue but also aimed at arresting the menace of smuggling. When the government is officially calling bidders and selling red sander logs, there will be no need for those aspiring to get the precious wood to acquire the woods from smugglers. The demand of smuggled logs will gradually come down and when there is no demand, the illegal activity of smuggling will also be reduced automatically,” an official of the Forest department told Express.
Officials observed that some of the bidders participating in the auction at the behest of smugglers are quoting more money to prevent other bidders from getting the red sanders logs and hence they cannot expect income to be generated through the auction.
Auction plan
AP Forest Development Corporation Limited to auction 1957 metric tonnes of red sanders in the log form through e-tender-cum-e-auction
First phase of auction to be held on July 26 and 27
Unsold red sanders logs in first phase to be put for sale on Aug 2 and 3
Further quantities, if any unsold in the 2nd sale, will be auctioned again on August 9 and 10