Supreme Court seeks responses from Centre, Andhra Pradesh over export of Red Sanders

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today sought responses from the Centre and Andhra Pradesh government on a plea seeking prohibition on export of Red Sanders (laal chandan) wood, an endangered category under international law.

The forest bench of the apex court sought the responses from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, the department of Commerce and the state of Andhra Pradesh.

The bench, headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu, asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and senior advocate Nageshwar Rao, appearing for Andhra Pradesh government, to file their responses to the petition filed by NGO Common Cause.

The matter was posted for further hearing on December 5, 2014.

The petition filed through advocate Prashant Bhushan sought quashing of the decision of the government to export over 10,000 tonnes of Red Sanders wood, an endangered and precious species protected under international and domestic laws, in the form of raw logs.

It also sought a direction for strict enforcement of the prohibition on export of Red Sanders wood. The plea sought a direction to the Centre and Andhra Pradesh government not to permit any export of Red Sanders wood in any form but rpt but in the form of value-added finished products.

The petitioner also pleaded for a direction to quash the decision to export Red Sanders wood in log form.

Red Sanderswood, commonly known as Red Sandalwood, is used in making luxury handicraft items and luxury furniture and in making traditional Ayurvedic medicines.