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Make park in Seshachalam a ‘no entry’

Forest guards seek powers to arrest at sight or shoot in self-defence in case of retaliation.

Hyderabad: The forest department has asked the government to declare Sri Venkateswara sanctuary and the National Park area of Seshachalam Hills, which is rich in Red Sanders, as a ‘no entry zone’.

Forest guards have sought powers to arrest at sight or shoot in self-defence in case of retaliation.

Cattle grazing and local villagers have to be stopped and collectors have to issue orders invoking the provisions of the law to prevent trespass into forest area.

The sanctuary spread over Chittoor and Kadapa districts, an area of 525.97 sq km, covers the Seshachalam hill ranges with the abode of Lord Venkateswara in its midst.

A senior official said, “It is already a national park and sanctuary area. There are laws that prohibit trespassing. Collectors have powers to invoke certain sections to arrest persons who enter into the area and if they retaliate and attack, we can shoot at them in self-defence. The two ghat roads, footpath routes and Annamaiah route to Tirumala shall be exempt from these orders. Cattle grazing has to be strictly stopped.”

State yet to decide on No-Entry zone

Hyderabad: The state government is yet to take a final call on the proposal to make the Sri Venkateswara sanctuary and the National Park area of Seshachalam Hills a no entry zone.

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy held a review meeting of top police and forest officials and directed the DGP Prasada Rao to provide 20 armed police personnel to work under the control of the Divisional Forest Officer in all the seven Red Sanders divisions of four districts and to strengthen the existing joint task force teams.

A special team will be formed to investigate the recent killing of forest officials.

He issued orders providing weapons and arranging training for the forest officials and staff by the police.

He also issued orders for payment of ex-gratia to the families of slain forest guards on par with the police.

Victims’ families will get around Rs.25 lakh for sub-inspector cadre and Rs.30 lakh for above sub-inspector cadre.

A government job to one family member and a house site will also be given.

The 16 check posts for surveillance of Red Sanders smuggling have been strengthened.

Forest officials said that during the last three years, 1,140 forest offence cases were booked by the police, 916 tonnes of Red Sanders was seized, as were hundreds of vehicles, and 5,202 people were arrested, many of them from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

In the recent Seshachalam Forest incident, 342 people were arrested, of whom 32 are mestris (heads of labour gangs). Some 28 of them were from Tamil Nadu and four from Andhra Pradesh.

( Source : dc )
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