The Andhra Pradesh Forest department today said it has formed a joint task force to check red sander smuggling in the state and will resort to all measures, including firing at the smugglers to combat them.
In order to check incidents of rampant smuggling of red sanders, the state government has formed a joint task force -- Red Sanders Anti Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF), comprising police and forest staff, a release from Conservator of Forests (Vigilance) said.
RSASTF will function under the administrative control of Principal Chief Conservator for Forests (head, Forest Force) and under operational control of Director General of Police (DGP).
It will have 463 sanctioned posts.
Currently, the DIG office assisted by Forest Force, headquartered at Tirupati is working exclusively to deal with the menace of red sanders smuggling in the state and armed parties are combing in the forest areas of Seshachalam, Veligonda, Lankamala and Palakonda (spread across districts of Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool, Prakasam and Nellore), it said.
Many red sander smugglers have been arrested and prosecution cases are being launched against the offenders, it said, adding an increased vigil in red sanders areas will deter the smugglers from entering into forests.
