Invoke PD Act against timber smugglers, poachers: Khammam Collector

Collector urged revenue, forest and police departments officials to work in coordination with each other to protect wildlife

Khammam: District Collector RV Karnan has directed officials to invoke Preventive Detention (PD) Act against those who were causing harm to wildlife and damaging forests in the district.

The Collector urged revenue, forest and police departments officials to work in coordination with each other. The PD Act, he said, should be invoked against timber smugglers and animal poachers, in addition to booking of cases under the provisions of the Wild Life Protection Act and Forest (Conservation) Act.

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Karnan was addressing the Khammam District Level Forest and Wildlife Protection Committee meeting here on Tuesday. The decisions taken during the previous meeting were reviewed and the forest department was able to resolve disputes in problematic locations in the district, a release said.

The collector, commending the department, suggested steps to resolve the remaining disputes. All the timber depot owners have to maintain the records and registers on the sale of timber in a proper manner. Serious action has to be taken if anyone was found transporting timber illegally.

Special focus has to be laid on those hunting animals using electric traps. As many fire lines as possible have to be dug in the forests to prevent spreading of wildfires. Fire extinguishing equipment has to be made available to the staff, the  Collector noted.

Strict measures have to be taken to prevent encroachment of forest lands and boundaries around forests have to be marked. Criminal cases have to be booked against those encroaching forest lands.

Plans for plantation on forest lands have to be prepared and to prevent any trouble from villagers, forest officials have to inform the police beforehand, Karnan said while Commissioner of Police (CP), Vishnu S Warrier said his department would extend support for forests and wildlife protection.

Additional Collectors N Madhusudhan and Snehalatha M, District Forest Officer Praveena, DCP Subhash Chandrabose, ACP Prasanna Kumar, District Agriculture Officer Vijaya Nirmala, Horticulture Officer G Ansuya and others were present.

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