Pawan Kalyan Urges Centre to Appoint AP Forest Department as Nodal Agency for Red Sanders Trade
Amaravati, Nov 27: Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has urged the Centre to appoint the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department (APFD) as the nodal agency for the sale and export of Red Sanders, a valuable and rare wood. This request was made during a meeting with Union Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi.
As the Minister for Environment and Forests in Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan discussed various issues related to the conservation of Red Sanders. A key point raised was the implementation of the Non-Detriment Finding (NDF) report recommendation, which suggests that the APFD should oversee the auctioning of seized Red Sanders.
The Jana Sena leader emphasized the need for the Centre’s support in repatriating seized Red Sanders and formalizing the APFD as the official agency for managing the sale and export of the wood. He also called for the establishment of uniform grading standards and sought higher revenue from Red Sanders trade to benefit the state.
Red Sanders, found primarily in the Seshachalam, Veligonda, Lankamala, and Palakonda hill ranges in Andhra Pradesh, is in high demand for its use in traditional medicines, woodcraft, and even in the food and beverage industry. It is also exported to countries such as Japan, China, and various European nations.
Pawan Kalyan expressed his gratitude to Minister Yadav for his time and support and requested continued cooperation in the future to ensure the protection of the environment and the sustainable trade of Red Sanders.
In recent months, Pawan Kalyan has also engaged with Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar B. Khandre regarding the transfer of Red Sanders worth Rs 140 crore that was seized in Karnataka. He praised Karnataka’s forest officials for their honesty in acknowledging that the seized wood belonged to Andhra Pradesh. Red Sanders smuggling has been a significant issue in the Rayalaseema region, which borders Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The issue of Red Sanders smuggling gained further attention through the 2021 film “Pushpa: The Rise,” which depicted the violent trade of the wood. The sequel to the film, “Pushpa 2: The Rule,” is set for release on December 5.
In addition to these efforts, India recently received international approval from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to legitimize Red Sanders plantation trade by farmers. This move is expected to help curtail illegal smuggling and open up a legal trade route for Red Sanders, which has a high global demand for its medicinal and industrial uses.
The approval from CITES removes India from the ‘Review of Significant Trade in Specimens’ list, providing a boost to the legal trade of Red Sanders and ensuring its sustainable conservation.
