रेड सैंडर्स से बनी मूल्यवर्धित लकड़ी की फर्नीचर का निर्यात लाइसेंस, एम/एस राम प्रसाद ब्रिजलाल, कोलकाता द्वारा

F.No. 4-11/2007 WL-I(pt) Government of India Ministry of Environment and Forests (Wildlife Division) —

Paryavaran Bhawan, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 11 00 03. Dated: 31.01.2011.

Office Memorandum

Sub: Application for export license to export value added wooden furniture made of Red Sanders in semi-knocked down condition by M/s Ram Prasad Brijlal, Kolkata -reg.

Reference is invited to the application of M/s Ram Prasad Bnijlal, Kolkata, O.M. No. 5-2/2001SU dated 30.12.2010 and O.M. of even number dated 19.01.2011 regarding export of Red Sanders value added wooden furniture made of Red Sanders in semi-knocked down condition, wherein the applicant was directed to appear before the CITES Management Authority. A hearing was accorded to the representatives of M/s Ram Prasad Brijlal, Kolkata in the Chambers of ADG (Wildlife) and CITES Management Authority (CITES-MA), Paryavaran Bhawan, Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi on 21.01.2011 at 1420 hrs. The proceedings of the hearing are enclosed for kind information and necessary action.

,

eo ' | , eran (Prakriti Srivastava) Deputy Inspector General of Forests (WL) .

To

M/s Ram Prasad Brijlal 2, Madan Mohan Dutta Lane, (Nintella), Kolkata-~700006 (Fax: 033-22691262)

Copy for information to:

1. PPS to ADG (WL), MoEF 2. PA to IGF (WL), MoEF 3. PA to DIG(SU), MoEF .

7 Proceedings of the hearing of M/s Ram Prasad Brij Lal regarding export of red sanders material

A hearing was accorded to the representative of the M/s Ram Prasad Brij Lal in the Chambers of ADG (Wildlife) and CITES Management Authority (CITES-MA), Paryavaran Bhawan, Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi on 21.01.2011 at 1420 hrs.

Statement of M/s Ram Prasad Brij Lal, Kolkata

Mr Viresh L Shah, CEO, M/s Ram Prasad Brij Lal, Kolkata, West Bengal appeared for the hearing before the CITES MA, India and requested for grant of an export permit for the furniture made up of Red Sanders wood in semi-knocked down condition. He stated that the firm M/s Ram Prasad Brij Lal, Kolkata had purchased 25 MT of the Red Sanders wood in 2008 through an auction held at Andhra Pradesh, of which 15 MT were seized material and 10 MT of Red Sanders were of cultivated origin. It was stated that the material processed by his firm was legally procured and brought to Kolkata only after acquiring utilization certificate and certificate of cultivation from the Forest Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh. It was brought to notice of CITES-MA, India regarding a meeting recently held in the office of Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) which issued a letter to Ministry of Environment and Forests requesting to grant export permits for Red Sanders products. The request was for granting export permit to his furniture as the same were made up of cultivated variety of Red Sanders and expressed that only appendix-!I species of wild origin were prohibited. According to him, EXIM Policy and CITES prohibit only export of Red Sanders in log form and semi log form while extracts, dyes, musical instruments and furniture were not prohibited. He also submitted a letter issued by the Forest Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh requesting the Ministry of Environment and Forests to issue permission for the export of Red Sanders subject to CITES and EXIM Policy prescriptions. He also explained that the forest officials of Andhra Pradesh were facing problem in the storage of the seized Red Sanders as there is a space problem in the warehouses. He requested the CITES-MA, India to give a one time exemption and grant export permit to export 20 tons of furniture made of Red Sanders in semi knocked down condition.

Decision of CITES Management Authority

After hearing the matter, ADG (WL) and CITES-MA informed that as a prerequisite for any export of Red Sanders, which is listed in Appendix Il of CITES, a Non- Detriment Findings (NDF) study was required. In view of this, he ruled that a view on the issue can be taken only after an NDF study on Red Sanders was completed.

CITES-MA further informed that the Ministry had commissioned a study on NonDetriment Findings (NDF) to be carried out by the Instituteof Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB), Coimbatore. He said that the study would be completed in a time period of one year and based on the findings of the study, it would be decided as to how to regulate the export of Red Sanders and its derivatives, i.e. whether export should be allowed or not, and if yes the limits on quantity to be exported. The MA clarified that before the findings of the study are available, the permission for the export of red sanders products and its derivatives cannot be given.

CITES-MA also directed that NDF study by IFGTB, Coimbatore should be scrupulously reviewed by DIG (WL) so that it is completed in time, and consequently, the Ministry can take informed decisions of long term consequence rather than taking ad-hoc decision on the trade of the Red Sanders wood, derivatives and products. 2 eKOk ok ok