Attappady soon to be sandalwood reserve

Second one after Marayur in Idukki

In the face of a recent spurt in sandalwood smuggling in eastern Attappady here, the Forest Department has expedited the process to declare it as the second protected sandalwood reserve, after Marayur in Idukki.

Though sandalwood trees can be seen in over 9,000 hectares of the region, the reserve will comprise 1,600 hectares where the trees grow thickly.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests P.K. Kesavan, who visited Attappady recently, had discussed the modalities of the reserve with senior department officials.

As per the initial plan, the 1,600 hectares would be divided into blocks of 60 acres each. Deputy range officers would be deputed for each block for coordinating protective measures.

Trained tribal youths would be deployed on daily wages to protect the trees. Electric fencing would be erected, at a cost ₹35 lakh, for about 100 km to prevent movement of wild animals into the reserve apart from preventing smuggling. Range officers would lead mobile squads to prevent smuggling. A dog squad of the Forest Department with special training in sandalwood protection would be deployed soon.

In the past one year, the region, that accounts for over 60% of natural regeneration of sandalwood trees in the State, has witnessed 63 cases of smuggling.

In the past four years, the number of sandalwood smuggling cases reported from the region was 343. Officials say most cases go unreported because of staff shortage.

Interstate smuggling is rampant in border areas such as Mulli and Sholayur, where illegally laid forests roads to Tamil Nadu are controlled by the smuggling mafia. In some areas, tribal youngsters are lured by the mafia to smuggle the precious wood through the dry beds of the Bhavani river.