Sandalwood smuggling rears its head again in Marayur

Marayur sandalwood reserve faces resurgence of smuggling, prompting Forest department crackdown to protect prized Kerala asset.

The Marayur sandalwood reserve, a treasured asset of Kerala, has once again come under threat from sandalwood smugglers after a long hiatus.

According to officials with the Forest department, the reserve has lost ten trees in just two months, highlighting a resurgence of large-scale sandalwood theft. The most recent incident occurred on Saturday (November 23, 2024) night, when poachers felled and smuggled a sandalwood tree from the Nachivayal forest station area within the reserve.

The incident marked a return to a troubling pattern of illegal activity that had significantly subsided after 2005, when similar large-scale smuggling cases were last reported.

In the wake of Saturday’s theft, a controversial incident involving Forest department personnel has further complicated the situation. Mariayyapan, a 62-year-old temporary protection watcher, alleged that a member of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) attacked him at the duty site. Mr. Mariayyapan, who required hospital treatment, has filed a formal complaint against the Forest department.

James Mathew, Marayur area secretary of the Kerala State Forest Watchers Union, condemned the alleged attack and demanded accountability. “The smuggling occurred near the Nachivayal forest station, and protecting the trees is the responsibility of the Forest department. If no action is taken against the RRT member involved, the union will stage a protest,” he said.

High Range Circle Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Arun R.S. acknowledged the escalating threat to the sandalwood reserve over the past three months. “Thanks to proactive measures, the number of sandalwood smuggling cases had been reduced to one or two annually. However, in the past three months alone, ten trees have been lost. We are taking this matter seriously, and patrolling will be strengthened to address the threat,” he assured.

Marayur Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) P.J. Shuhaib highlighted the department’s swift actions, stating that 17 people have been arrested in connection with smuggling cases in the past 45 days. “We seized four vehicles and recovered over 85 kg of sandalwood,” he reported. However, he refuted allegations of misconduct by department personnel, adding, “The protection watcher failed to prevent the theft and was subsequently terminated from duty.”