RED SANDERS

2. About Red Sanders

2.1 Characteristics and Growth

• Red Sanders, scientifically known as Pterocarpus santalinus, is a variety of sandalwood.
• Unlike its fragrant counterpart, it is non-fragrant and primarily thrives in rocky, hilly terrains.
• These trees start with rapid growth, reaching heights of 8 to 10 meters within 3-4 years, but their growth rate slows down significantly afterwards.
• To obtain the valuable deep redwood, it takes a minimum of 20-25 years.
• Interestingly, this particular variety of Red Sanders is unique to specific regions.

2.2 Natural Habitat

• Red Sanders predominantly grows in the thorny scrub and dry deciduous forests of the central Deccan region.
• Geographically, they are found in a limited area of approximately 5,200 sq km, mainly in the Palakonda and Seshachalam hills within the Kadapa and Chittoor districts.
• Some contiguous regions in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka also witness limited wild growth.

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3. The Coveted Red Sanders

• The scarcity of Red Sanders is a crucial factor in its desirability.
• The species is rapidly dwindling, primarily due to illegal felling.
• Moreover, its export is tightly regulated, requiring permits even for trees on private farms.
• Despite these restrictions, there is a high demand for Red Sanders in foreign markets, particularly in China and Japan, where it is sought after for furniture, chess sets, and musical instruments.
• In the black market, a tonne of Red Sanders can fetch anywhere between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 30 lakh, depending on its quality.

4. Regulation of the Trade

• Red Sanders is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora.
• Until 2014, the auction or trade of seized logs was prohibited.
• However, this ban was lifted due to the accumulation of over 10,000 tonnes of logs in Andhra Pradesh government godowns.
• Presently, only e-auctions are permitted, and in December of the previous year, the state government raised Rs 991 crore through e-auctions, averaging around Rs 27 lakh per tonne.

5. Rampant Smuggling

• The smuggling of Red Sanders is a significant issue, with estimates indicating that approximately 500 tonnes are illicitly transported out of India every year.
• China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and the UAE are believed to be destinations or transit points for these consignments.
• Smugglers use various routes, including ports in Chennai and Mumbai, as well as cross-border routes through Nepal and the Northeastern states.

6. Police-Smuggler Confrontations

• Forest personnel and smugglers engage in frequent confrontations in regions such as Chittoor, Nellore, Kadapa, and Kurnool.
• These clashes are particularly intense in the Seshachalam forests, where smugglers often infiltrate from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
• Tragically, these confrontations sometimes turn fatal. In December 2013, two forest officers were stoned and axed to death by a gang of suspected smugglers in the Seshachalam forests near Tirupati.
• This incident was preceded by another in 2011 when a forest officer was killed in Panuguru near Chittoor. Such incidents underscore the dangers faced by forest officials.
• Forest officers often find themselves powerless against these ruthless smuggler gangs.
• The gangs frequently launch violent attacks using stones and sharp instruments against anyone who attempts to thwart their activities.

7. Smuggler Operations

• Tamil Nadu is identified as the primary base for smuggling gangs. These groups often set up camps in hotels and lodges in towns like Proddatur and Mydukur in Kadapa district.
• They engage local villagers on the forest periphery to fell Red Sanders, paying them daily wages of Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000.
• Agents overseeing these operations can earn up to Rs 1 lakh per venture.
• Smugglers employ modern technology, including cell phones and GPS, to monitor forest vehicles and their own personnel and trucks.
• They are also known to carry firearms and large sums of cash to bribe forest guards.
• Smugglers employ a well-coordinated modus operandi to evade authorities.
• Decoy motorcyclists are used to alert truck drivers in case they encounter vigilance squads or forest guards.
• A 'pilot' vehicle, often carrying an agent, arrives to assess whether officials can be bribed. If bribery fails, confrontations frequently escalate, sometimes involving gunfire.
• To combat this menace, authorities have arrested numerous ringleaders operating in Kadapa under the Andhra Pradesh Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Dacoits, Drug Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, and Land Grabbers Act (PD Act).
• Members of a police task force assigned to protect forest officials have faced allegations of accepting bribes from smugglers.
• An inquiry conducted by the AP Vigilance Department revealed that two senior officers responsible for safeguarding forest officers and monitoring smuggler activities were accepting substantial bribes, allowing smugglers to access the forests.

8. The WayForward

• The Indian government has taken several steps to combat Red Sanders smuggling, including increasing the number of forest guards and police officers patrolling the forests where Red Sanders grows.
• The government has also cracked down on smuggling gangs and has arrested several high-profile smugglers.
• However, the Red Sanders smuggling trade remains a major problem and continues to threaten the survival of this endangered species.