Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram   

Panel side-steps sandal unit row

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM June 4. The Estimates Committee of the Assembly has mooted establishment of a sandal oil extraction unit in the public sector at Marayur, but has side-stepped the question how such units in the private sector, which have been accused of illegal operations, should be dealt with.

Replying to questions at the committee's news conference here today, the panel chairman, E.T. Mohammed Basheer, said the committee was in favour of nationalisation of the existing private sector sandal oil extraction units, but had not focused on it in its report because the controversies surrounding them did not come up before it.

Mr. Basheer said the committee had recommended strict control on possession and use of sandalwood and stern action against sandalwood smugglers and hoped that this in itself would be strong deterrent against unauthorised felling and the irregular activities of sandal oil extraction units.

The committee members conceded that there were around 50 sandal oil extraction units in the State, many of them unauthorised. However, when asked why they had not recommended takeover or closure of these factories despite serious charges having been levelled against the functioning of many of them, they said the matter was something for the Government to look into in the light of the allegations that surfaced after the committee submitted its report.

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