Vellore sources have stated that Andhra Pradesh Minister for Environment and Forests B. Gopala Krishna Reddy on Sunday has categorically denied any construction activity across the Palar by its government and Palar is in Kuppam, which is the Chief Minister’s constituency and they are not constructing anything.
Mr. Reddy has told reporters while replying to questions on the Andhra Pradesh government constructing new check dams and raising the height of existing ones across the Palar, when he was addressing trainee officers of the Academy of Prisons and Correctional Administration.
It was stated that on reports of construction across Tipre, a tributary of Palar inside forests, he has said the place was frequented by elephants and they were making arrangements to provide fodder and water to the pachyderms and they have to preserve the trees that are available only in the Rayalseema area and all steps are being taken to safeguard the trees.
Mr. Reddy has said steps were being taken to sell thousands of tonnes of the trees and has also noted that the smuggling of red sanders had reduced owing to the drop in price, posting of large number of police personnel and confiscation of weapons.
