AP seeks to make best of the worst HYDERABAD: The very severe cyclonic storm Hudhud, which hit coastal Andhra Pradesh on Oct 12, literally uprooted lakhs of trees, causing enormous loss both financially and ecologically.
Now, the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department is planning to make the best of the worst. It is planning to auction the wood from the trees. Plans are up to sell the wood to paper, pulp industries and even as firewood.
Close to 5,000 hectares of forest land in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts has been affected by the cyclone. Teak, Cashew, Eucalyptus, Casuarina etc., were brought down by the gales.
Officials and staff of the forest department are counting the number of uprooted trees. The department is going to follow DET manual in auctioning of trees.
'We cannot sell the wood right away. Guidelines of DET manual will be followed in auctioning the wood,' said an official. He added that auctioning cannot be seen as a profit-making move as the ecological loss cannot be compensated by money.
News Posted: 22 October, 2014
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