Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed forest department officials today, to immediately investigate 1,700 cases of smuggling of red sanders (sandalwood).
The move is aimed at ending the menace of red sanders smuggling in the forests at the temple town of Tirupati, an official release issued here, said today.
Naidu, who has adopted a tough stance against red sanders smuggling, asked officials to file chargesheets in these cases, the release said.
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He has also told officials to auction the seized red sanders logs, it said.
Red sanders is a rare wood which is useful as "sacred" wood and timber. It is also said to have medicinal properties.
The wood grows mainly in the Chittoor and Kadapa districts of Andhra Pradesh.
Red sanders smuggling has been rampant with hundreds of people employed for the purpose.
Two forest personnel on duty were even beaten to death in 2013 by smugglers in the Tirupati forest area.
Of late, the AP government has adopted a tough stance and some smugglers lost their lives during a recent drive to flush them out.
