Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy today agreed to strengthen forest department security by sanctioning 40 additional armed police parties. During a review meeting, he asked the Chief Secretary P.K. Mohanty to submit a comprehensive report on the methods being followed by the police department and measures taken for preventing attacks on forest personnel and benefits to the families of officials who died due to such attacks. The proposed 40 additional armed police parties would be in addition to the 12 functioning in red sanders belt for strengthening of the forest department. During the meeting, the Chief Minister directed that the forest protection enactments should be amended suitably for stringent punishment to the smugglers of teak, rosewood, sandalwood and red sanders. According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, he asked the officials to amend the existing provisions and send them to the forest department. He suggested that care should be taken while framing provisions in the Bill in consultation with the law department and to make offences cognizable and non-bailable and include forest offenders.