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STATUS OF SANDALWOOD IN TAMILNADU

'SANDAL' the Roya) Species is known. for its pleasant fragrance al I over

the world. Its botanical name is "Santalu� album" .. It belongs to the

Santalaceae family and evergreen in nature. It is indigenous to India and in

particular to South India. The sandalwood found in Tamilnadu are most

valuable, especia11y the sandalwood in Javadhu hills are of best quality. All

parts are useful. Leaf is used as fodder; wood is sacred an d i s us ed hy a l l

irrespective of rel i g ion ; oil extracted from the wood have good fragrance an d it is

costly. It is u s e d for m e d i c i n a l p u r p o s e s a n d a s a p w o o d for p e r f u m e r y p r o d u c t s .

Regeneration of Sandal

Sandalwood can be regenerated through seeds, by vegetative propagation

(through sprigs .and tissue culture) and by root suckers. It is a very good

coppicer. When seeds spread th ro ugh. birds, it regenerates abundantly al o ng

streams andsprings. Sandal plantations are raised in Tamilnadu on experimental

· · basis. Sandal requires a host plant in the initial stage. Nitrogen fixing p l a n t s can

be used as host. Seedlings can be raisediin Poly Containers. Seeds SO'Nn in

. . . .. . . .

mother bed-can.bepricked.our in containers . .along with a host keeping the roots

otsandal . seedling 'and host plant .in COQ�CtJ.. 45 c.rn. height seedlings are fit for

plating along with the host and the host plant can be: cut when sandal get well

established. It is preferable to use annual plant as host.

Extraction of Sandalwood

Extraction of sandalwood trees involve many process. The method of

enumeration, extraction is explained in the Sandalwood f e lling rules. Before an

area is due for extraction, the officer, who is in-charge of the p a rti c ular area i.e.,

Ranger prepares the estimates for the s e l ec t io n and marking of Sandal trees in t he

areas to be worked based on the data provided in the Working P l an. The

selection and marking wo u l d be c onfin e d to all dead trees of 7 cm g irth and

above both those standing and those. that have fallen in clu ding all stumps and

roots. If the trees contain heartwood only, it sh ould also be inc l ud e d i f its girth

is below 7 cm. The area may be reserved, unreserved or vil l ag e series. Estimate ,

should be prepared separately for each type of coupe or area. It c on t ai n s the

selection and marking of trees to be extracted, climber cutting and such te n ding

process as prescribed in the working plan. Once enumeration and t en d i n g

process is completed, the next process is Extraction.

 This process. involves uprooting and transporting of wood to the Forest

DePot, specifying distance between the marked trees and Forest Depot, transport

of wood from the forest to the final cleaning Forest Depot. The estimates should

invariably be supported by the field book, abstract of the trees marked in 1 5 c.m.

girth classes showing various denominations such as tree stumps, roots and fallen

trees and the Map showing the no. of boundaries of sub-coupe if any. The

estimate also covers the estimated yield of the coupe in each girth class and

number of trees marked under each sub-coupes, girth class etc.

Further the person who prepares the estimate for extraction of

Sandalwood should certify that he had checked 20% of the sandalwood trees

marked for extraction i.e., from SI. No.1 to 1 O two trees to be checked and from

SI.No.-11 to 20 two trees to be checked and so on. Before sanction of extraction

works the Assistant Conservator of Forests I District Forest Officer must check

one tree for every ten trees, the Conservator of Forests concerned should check

5% of one or two enumerations in each quarter. Further it should be borne in

mind .that the, Field Book and Enumeration and Conversion Form should be

. . . maintained.for-each ·
G oupe Or:' area·p-(}P')s.cd for: tl�ction. .

It should be ensured that all trees, stumps and-roots should be uprooted by

digging round them enough ·to··· secure all side. roots and root lets containing

heartwood and then cutting through the bigger roots so that heartwood of more

than size of the half a rupee should not be left in the ground. The no. of pits

should agree with the no. of trees uprooted. Once the extraction process is over,

the Ranger should check 25% of the pits from which the trees are uprooted and

the Assistant Conservator of Forests I District Forest Officer shall inspect at least

10% of the pits left behind after extraction. The percentage of check of the pits

by the Conservator of Fo�sts after extraction shall be 5% at least one major

coupe in each division in a year. Wherever possible extraction should be

confirmed to the marked trees. If any tree is found to be omitted "A" no may be

given. It should be corresponding to the tree nearest to it. All sapwood trees

from the Reserve or Village series which do not contain heartwood should be

uprooted and sent to the Final Cleaning Depot (FCD). A list of such sapwood

trees should be furnished by the Depot Keeper in the E & C Form itself. The

conversion of sapwood trees into Billets and stacking for auction in the F.C.D.

should be undertaken only after the trees are inspected by the Assistant

Conservator of Forests I District Forest Officer.

 After uprooting the trees, the top and branches that do not contain

heartwood should be lopped off. There is no need to saw off the root or branches

containing heartwood, unless the tree is too large to be transported to the Final

Cleaning Depot in one place. Otherwise the root should sawn off at the crown so

as not to include any portion of the stem and the branches should be sawn flush

with the stem. The separation of the root and the branches from the stem should

be done only after debarking the portion where the saw cuts are to he made, so

that the two ends may fit accurately. It is found necessary to further sub-divide

the stem of branch wood the same procedure should be followed and at the same

time care should be taken to see that the length of the intermediate piece obtained

is either one metre or a multiple of it.

The dust obtained while sawing should be carefully collected, free from

impurities and sent to the Depot in a double gunny bag or cloth bag.

Immediately the tree is sawn, the cut ends should be hammer marked in

· order to prevent theff and the number of the tree as well as the number of the

root, stem or branch with its distinguishing letter, if any, should be written on

each and every piece.obtained . . . . .

Once extraction process is over, the trees should be taken to the Forest

Depot where its length and measurement shall be taken and recorded in the Col. 4

of the E & C Form. These extracted trees will have distinguishing letters and

nos. indicate the name of the Range, felling series and no. of coupe from which it

came, In the Forest Depot Form-A Register will be maintained to record the out

turn indicating the total no. of trees, the total no. of pieces obtained separately

under stems, roots, chips etc. and the weight of the saw dust. Extracted trees

should be immediately transported to the FCD under escort of a responsible

subordinate. The escort is given permits required as per the sandalwood transit

rules showing the facsimile of the hammer mark of the wood. The saw dust

should be sent in sealed gunny bags.

In the FCD the Depot Keeper acknowledges the wood received from

depots. Before acknowledging the wood he should see that all the pieces bear

hammer marks, count the no. of trees and pieces of each consignment separately.

The Depot Keeper should check at least 25% of the trees with reference to E & C

Forms.
 ..
If there is any discrepanc · . .
. . f th . y IS noticed, It should immediately he brought t
the notice o e Assistant c O

. . onservator of Forests I District Forest officer lo

reconctle the discrepancy.

Rough Cleaning

The uncleaned wood should be taken up for finaJ cleaning in the order of

its receipt. The wood received from. each coupe should be stored separately in

the FCD till it is taken up for final cleaning.

In the diagram the tree No. ·is 8.

R represents main root. .

YI - Y2 - Y3 represents side roots.

T represents the trunk.

.. If Billeted the Billets will be numbered-Tl -T2-T3 etc.

· B 1-B2 represents main branch.

B - I A., B3a their respective side branches.

If the main branch B-1 be billeted the pieces will be numbered B-1 (1)

B-1 (2) B-1 (3) and so on. The above distinctive letters so the n�e of the

working circle and the number of coupes etc.

The uncleaned Sandalwood trees acknowledged at the Final Cleaning

Depot should be rough cleaned first. The trunk, branches and roots shall be

"rough cleaned" by chipping off the sapwood using and amadze or bill-hook for

the purpose. Care should be taken to see that the heartwood is not cut through or

exposed in the process. If the rough cleaning is properI y done there wi 11 be a

uniformly thin layer of sapwood covering the scented wood. The length and

girth of rough cleaned pieces should be measured and rough wood of each tree

weighed and recorded in Columns 8 to 1 0 of the E & C Form. Then the rough

cleaned pieces under the �lassification RT, R T and B should be weighed

separately, counted and recorded in columns 3 to 6 of the Stock Register form

'B'.
 Assistant Conservator of Forests I District Forest Officer shall do the

classification and put into Single Lock 2 or 3 lots of the rough cleaned trees i n

each quarter.

The Sapwood, Chips and saw dust should be weighed for the consignment

as a whole and recorded in Col. 7 to 9 of the Stock Register Form B as well as

Sapwood weight in Col. 1 1 of the E & C Form.

GRADING

The uncleaned sandalwood soon after rough deaning should be taken up

for final cleaning. The cleaning will be done as detailed b e l o w :

The Root should be sawn off at the crown, if this has not been done

already.

The stem andbranches should be sawn into billets, one metre in length.

The number of the tree, the number. of the billet, whether it is trunk or

branch wood, .or root, should be marked on the. cut ends.

At the .same time, the number of roots obtained from each tree as well as

the number of billets should be recorded in Col. 1 4 and 1 5 of the E & C Form.

The thin layer of sapwood should then be removed taking care to see that

no heartwood is cut through or chipped off. The sapwood chips, heartwood

chips and wastage obtained in the process should be collected and stored

separately. The mud and other impurities found in hollows of the pieces should

be removed completely. The billets without any defects should be planed

smooth, and the chips obtained in the process should be kept separately as they

are classified separately under HATHERI CHILTA.

The yield of final cleaned wood of the consignment as a whole should

then be classified into classes detailed in Rule 29 and an abstract giving both

number of pieces and weight in respect of each class from 1 to 1 3 and only in

weight in respect of each class from 1 4 to 1 9 should be furnished in E & C Form.

 .I_he classification is given be]ow :-

I. VILA YAT BUDH

Bi1lets free from defects and weighing not
or first class billets.
less than approximately ten kgs. and above.
2. CHINABUDH
Billets . free from defects and weighing
or second class billets
approximately from 5 kgs and above but less

than l O kgs.

3. P A N J AM Billets free from defects and weighing

or third-class billets. approximately from 2 kgs and above but less

than 5 kgs.

4. CHOTLA Billets without defects but less than one

or short billets metre in length, weight immaterial.

5. GHATBADLA Billets of approximately 5 kgs and over with

minor defects, such as knots, small cracks

and hollows.

6. BAGRADAD Billets with minor defects, such as knots small

cracks and hollows, but weighing approximately

less than 5 kgs.

7. .ROOTS
. '
first class
.
i. { .
Weighing approximately not less than 7 kgs.

8 aoors, second class- . .... .

· . · Weighing- approximately notless.than 2 k� -

9. ROOTS, third class. . Approximately less than 2 kgs. and all side
-··
roots.

_.· 10
JAJPOKAL, first class· Hollow· and ragged pieces, approximately

weighing not less than 3 kgs.

l I JAJPOKAL, second Hollow and ragged pieces, approximately

class weighing not less than 1 kgs.

12 AINBAGAR Sound and unsound pieces approximately

weighing not less than 500 gms.

13 ·CHARIA Sound and unsound pieces approximately

weighing not less than 200 gms.

14 AIN CHILTA Chips and small pieces of pure heartwood

below 200 gm s .

15 HATHERI CHILTA Very small · chips and small pieces of

heartwood (obtained in planning first four

classes).

16 MULVACHILTA Largest chips of mixed heart and sapwood.

17 BASOLA BAKNI Small chips of mixed heart and sapwood.

18 SAWDUST

19 SAPWOOD Sandal sapwood trees and ch ips.

 7

STACKING OF SANDALWOOD

The final cleaned sandalwoods are graded as per the Classification.

Thereafter it is added into Double Lock by the Double Lock Officer. The Officer

may be the Assistant Conservator of Forests I District Forest Officer I

Conservator of Forests. Once the wood is added into Double Lock. it will be

under lock and it can be opened by the Single Lock and Double Lock Officer.

For that two Keys should be maintained.

AUCTIONING

As far as the sandalwood auction is concerned the Fair price for each class

of sandalwood is fixed by the Government based on the recommendation made

by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests. The power to confirm the sale

will depend upon the value ·of the sandalwood. Based on this sale is conducted at

periodical intervals. ,. :

With regard to the sale of sapwood, the Conservator of Forests is the

authority to fix the fair price. The Govt. of Ind ia by its L r. N o.F .No.13-2004-

SU (Pt) MoEF dated 19-05-06 has stopped that the open auction of sapwoo d to

the non-public sec tor enterprises forth with so as to c ontrol i l l e gal it y.

In order to augment the revenue to the Government and to make the

sandalwood easily available to the public- the Government has relaxed the rule

enabling to sell sandalwood, sapwood on retail basis. The retail sale price wi ll

be average sale price of the previous sale price + 1 Oo/o or the fair price fixed for

the particular class of wood + 10%.

* * .