Note ban slows down teak smuggling from parts of Telangana and Odisha into AP

Rajahmundry: Demonetisation has helped the forest authorities to bring down the smuggling of rose, teak and other varieties of wood from parts of Telangana and Odisha into AP for the last two months. The forest authorities say these wood varieties used to be smuggled out from the forests of Khammam in TS and Odisha into the state, as they keep close vigil against smuggling of wood at Aswaraopeta,  Jeelugumilli, Sudikonda, Jaggampeta, Mallisala  on NH-16.

On an average, 5-6 cases of smuggling used to be booked along the route per month. However, post demonetisation, the number of cases of smuggling being booked has come down.

One of the reasons attributed for this phenomenon is that the smugglers used to smuggle the wood in vehicles fully prepared to pay  including fee if they are caught by the forest personnel.

The forest authorities under the provisions of AP Forest Act, 1967, book cases against the smugglers and seize wood and vehicles. If the smuggled wood is to be released, the smuggler is supposed to pay its market value and five times more than it as compounding fee. In the wake of cash crunch, the smugglers are having no cash in their hand to pay compounding fee,  once they are caught by the forest personnel.

The forest authorities said they used to get Rs 5-6 lakh in the form of compounding fee from the smugglers per month and for the last two months, there has no such revenue to the department. In addition to it, even if the smuggled wood is seized, the smugglers are unable to get it released by paying compounding fee. The forest authorities are having such dues worth nearly Rs 6 lakh so far.