A vast expanse of dense forest spread over more than 5.42 lakh hectares and a single unarmed officer to guard 300 hectares of land.
This is the situation of the forest department in Kadapa district.
Of the 5.42 lakh hectares, more than 60 per cent of the forest is covered with the precious red sanders logs. The three forest divisions in Kadapa district--Kadapa, Proddutur and Rajampet--are plagued with insufficient staff and unarmed personnel who are expected to take on red sanders smugglers.
According to officials, the number of staff sanctioned to cover the forest area is 300, which is meager. Of these, there is a 35 per cent vacancy due to suspension of some officers and other reasons leaving just a little over 200 on the job.
“Each forest staff has to guard more than 300 hectares of forest (over 7,500 acres).
This is impossible and is proving to be advantageous for the smugglers.
Added to our insufficient staff, our men do not have arms while the smugglers, who move in groups, carry axes and sickles,’’ an officer said and also admitted that poachers too prowl in the forests.
The forest department’s proposal to reorganise the beats has not yet materialised. In 2007, a proposal was sent to the government but was not accepted. This year, the has government asked for fresh proposals.
District forest officials have prepared a proposal for the same and are hoping that it materialises this time round.
Presently there are 14 ranges and 34 sections in the three ranges currently and the officials propose to increase them to 18 ranges and 83 sections.
Officials are hopeful of getting additional personnel if more beats are introduced. Every beat consists of a forest beat officer and an assistant beat officer. “If our proposals are accepted, we will get 40-50 per cent more staff and it would help us to effectively protect red sanders and wildlife,’’ the officer said.
Speaking to Express, Kadapa Flying Squad (red sanders) Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) B Nagaraju said that insufficient staff, lack of arms and inefficient Acts to deal with red sanders smuggling is preventing us to deal with red sanders smugglers effectively.