TIRUPATI:The cash-starved Andhra Pradesh government appears to be all set for the second phase of the auction of seized red sander logs soon. Giving an indication to this effect, additional principal chief conservator of forest (APCCF) RG Kalaghatgi inspected the logs at the Central Warehouse Godown (CWG), near Renigunta, here on Sunday.
When Express contacted Kalaghatgi about the schedule of the second phase of the auction, he said that it would be announced soon.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the government has decided to auction 3,200 Metric Tonnes (MTs) of the precious logs in the second phase. Of this lot, about 3,000 MTs are said to be stored at the CWG. It may be recalled that it had disposed of of 4,160 Metric Tonnes (MTs) of red sander logs -- 4.69 MTs of them being of A Grade, 166.18 MTs ‘B’ Grade and 3,988.81 MTs ‘C’ Grade - in the first phase through e-tender-cum-e-auction process last year.
While the first phase of auction fetched the government Rs 991 cr, it hopes to earn more in the second phase. This is because the quantity of A-Grade logs will be almost half of the total 3,200 MTs as against just 4.69 MTs out of the total 4,160 MTs in the first phase, according to a forest official.
Source of Income