Tirupati: Seshachalam forest area is likely to come under the surveillance of closed circuit cameras very soon to check the red sanders smuggling.
The forest department has taken steps to watch the movements of the smugglers cutting the red sanders trees in the forest area.
At present the officials has set up closed circuit cameras at 11 locations and watching the movements of red sanders smugglers.
The officials linked all the CC cameras to a closed circuit room which will be observed by the forest department staff.
As soon as they notice the smugglers, they will immediately inform the special task force to arrest the red sanders smugglers.
The Seshachalam forest is spread over five lakh hectare from Tirupati to Kadapa district. On pilot basis the forest department has set up CC cameras at 11 locations in Tirupati division.
Simil-arly, the forest officials set up CC cameras in Rajam-peta division to check the red sanders smuggling.
According to official sources, the higher officials are studying, whether there is any impact of setting up of CC cameras in the Seshachalam forest area.
If they feel red sanders smuggling has reduced after setting up CC cameras, they will take permission from the government and set up CC cameras in the forest area. It will take some more time.
Meanwhile, the forest department has decided to set up CC cameras in Nallamala forest to check red sanders smuggling activity.
The woodcutters are cutting the red sanders trees and keeping the logs in the forest area. From there they are illegally transporting to Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru to make a fast buck.
Tirupati Urban SP Gopinath Jetti said, "We stepped up movements on the red sanders smugglers and intensified vehicle checking at the check-post. The forest department will bring Seshachalam forest area under the CCTV camera surveillance soon."
Tamil Nadu police have agreed to set up check-posts in border villages to keep watch on the movements of the woodcutters and to check red sanders smuggling.
