Karnataka   

Wholesale dealers’ role in sandalwood trade opposed

Bangalore: The Karnataka Forest Department has opposed the involvement of wholesale dealers in the trade of sandalwood, as suggested by the “Draft All India Policy for Controlling Sandalwood/ Red Sanders Smuggling.” No less than 18 years after it was first drafted and discussed, the draft policy — aimed at formulating a uniform legislation across the country to curb inter-State smuggling of the precious wood — resurfaced recently for discussion.

In its response to the draft, circulated by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the State Forest Department has asked for the deletion of seven clauses of the draft, which refer to the appointment of government-certified wholesale dealers “for the purchase and trade of sandalwood.” The purchase and trade of sandalwood should exclusively lie with the State Government and its public sector undertaking (Karnataka State Forest Industry Corporation), states the response, of February 29.

This is the first time that the Ministry has sent the formal draft to all sandalwood producing States — Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra — for their recommendations, as there is “no uniformity regarding the legal status of trees on private lands, extraction, transportation, possession and sale,” according to the draft. Karnataka, now the second largest producer of sandalwood after Tamil Nadu, has been pressing for a unified policy for some time now. However, “while the renewed discussion on unified policy is a welcome development, encouraging wholesale dealers of sandalwood will hinder the proper implementation of the policy,” says A.K. Varma, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests. There needs to be added vigilance especially in the light of the relaxation of Karnataka Forest rules, removing some legal hurdles for the private growers of sandalwood, he added.

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