Given Kalyan’s ideological affinity with the BJP and his position within the NDA, his stern posture on the issue reflects not only administrative resolve but also his growing identity with the saffron party.
Published Nov 18, 2025 | 4:37 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 18, 2025 | 4:37 PM
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan.
Synopsis: Pawan Kalyan’s strategy is multi-layered and politically assertive. It combines technology, interstate coordination, community engagement, and revived policing structures. But the scale of the crises he confronts is daunting: he said thousands of hectares of red sanders forests have already been looted, smuggling networks remain deeply entrenched and internationally linked.
Andhra Pradesh is contemplating an offensive against organised crime and environmental plunder.
The plan stems from a major illegal beef storage racket unearthed in Visakhapatnam recently.
During a review meeting on 15 November, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan demanded answers from the Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized 189,000 kg of beef, allegedly illegally sourced, from Mitra Cold Storage.
This case also sits within a highly charged political climate. Across India, particularly in states governed, or influenced by the BJP, cow slaughter and the transportation of cattle for meat have become politically sensitive flashpoints.
Given Kalyan’s ideological affinity with the BJP and his position within the NDA, his stern posture on the issue reflects not only administrative resolve but also his growing identity with the saffron party.
The seriousness with which he has reacted indicates an attempt to signal strict compliance with laws around cattle slaughter and trafficking—issues that have polarised public discourse in recent years.
Yet, it is said, even a high-profile bust addresses only a sliver of the wider ecosystem. Illegal cattle slaughter thrives on extensive supply chains, cross-border movements, informal slaughter points, and the complicity of transport networks.
Without comprehensive disruption across these layers, raids — even large ones — risk becoming symbolic rather than systemic.
If illegal beef trafficking represents the breadth of organised crime, the red sanders crisis reflects its depth and long-term ecological consequences.
Red sanders—an endangered species found primarily in the Seshachalam Hills—is coveted internationally for its high value, touching ₹1,000 per kg. Kalyan’s description of it as “nature’s priceless gift to Andhra Pradesh” underscores its significance.
But the figures he presented are alarming: 263,267 seized logs stored across eight Tirupati godowns, which are equivalent to roughly 200,000 felled trees. With “lakhs more” believed to have been cut under the radar during the previous regime.
He criticised the YSRCP government (2019–24) for weakening the anti-smuggling architecture established in 2015 under the TDP, an empowered Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force, led by an IG-level officer.
Its revival forms the backbone of his new action plan, but its effectiveness will depend on whether structural bottlenecks can be overcome.
The deputy chief minister pointed to the use of thermal drones, CCTV surveillance at check posts, and fortified watchtowers to tighten monitoring. These tools are promising, but the rugged forest terrain and the sheer expanse of the Seshachalam region have historically blunted technological solutions.
Kalyan’s call to eliminate ego clashes between departments acknowledges one of the oldest operational hurdles. Coordination breakdowns, overlapping jurisdictions, and uneven resources have long impeded coherent enforcement.
Filing chargesheets within 60 days, ensuring quicker court decisions, and establishing dedicated intelligence units are critical. Yet these steps require judicial cooperation and consistent follow-through—areas where previous attempts have stumbled.
Efforts to mobilise Van Suraksha Samitis, counsel low-level operatives, and offer alternative livelihoods to tackle the root causes and attract local participation. While promising, these measures demand patience and long-term investment to yield results.
The most tangible progress lies in Kalyan’s successful outreach to the Centre. By securing orders from Union Minister Bhupender Yadav that all red sanders seized anywhere in India must be returned to Andhra Pradesh, the state has regained control over significant quantities of trafficked timber: five tonnes from Gujarat, seven tonnes (Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan), six tonnes (Karnataka), 10 tonnes (Delhi), 173 tonnes (pending repatriation from Nepal) and 407 tonnes seized across India (2019–24).
Kalyan’s strategy is multi-layered and politically assertive. It combines technology, interstate coordination, community engagement, and revived policing structures. But the scale of the crises he confronts is daunting: he said thousands of hectares of red sanders forests have already been looted, smuggling networks remain deeply entrenched and internationally linked.
The measures announced can slow down the damage and restore some deterrence. But success, it is said, will require relentless implementation, airtight coordination, and a commitment to institutionalising reforms rather than relying on episodic crackdowns.
If sustained, the blueprint outlined by Kalyan has the potential to turn the tide. The real test will be whether the momentum outlives political cycles — and whether the systems built today can resist the pressures of tomorrow.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
