The Forest Department will suitably reward the local people who supported the move of the department in raising the sandalwood trees in the reserve forests in Vazhappadi range. The Department has planned to plant to sandalwood saplings in select reserve forests under the Chief Minister’s special programme. The work on this project is in full swing in the entire state. It has been planned to plant more than 10,000 sandalwood saplings in the reserve forests abutting Mudiyanur and Vellalakundam villages in the Vazhappadi range. Speaking at an awareness programme held in Mudiyanur Koppankadu village near Vazhappadi on Wednesday, Chandrasekaran, Conservator of Forests, Vazhappadi, called upon the people living in the villages abutting the reserve forests to extend a helping hand to the forest department in raising more sandalwood saplings in the reserve forests and protecting the same. The people should also extend support to the forest department in preventing forest fire, poaching of wild animals, felling of trees and other illegal activities in the forests. Subramanian, president of the local forest committee, Periyar Mannan of NEST voluntary organisation and others participated in the meeting.