Logs stacked at a forest department depot on Sevoke Road. Picture by Avijit Sarkar

Siliguri, May 15: The forest department is planning to rein in promoters using illegally procured timber as part of its effort to crack down on the sale of smuggled timber in Darjeeling district.

The district, rich in forest resources, has woken up to the fact that a large amount of smuggled timber is being used in the construction business in urban and suburban areas.

Mushrooming multi-storied buildings all over the town in recent years and the increasing use of cheap illegal timber for such constructions have come as an eye-opener for the forest department.

The department has sought the help of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) and other municipal bodies to stop the illegal practice.

“Civic bodies are the authorities responsible for passing the construction plans. Besides, the usual raids and the precautions taken by the department, other effective measures could be adopted if the civic bodies cooperate,” said a forest official.

“The saw mills and the timber traders purchase most of their share from us. Promoters have to purchase timber for use in building construction from these traders or mills. If they purchase it from an authorised mill or directly from the forest department, they can get a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the department,” said a senior official attached to Mahananda Wildlife Reserve Forest.

The matter has been discussed at departmental meetings. “We are approaching various civic bodies. The proposal has been forwarded to the SMC and the civic authorities of Darjeeling and Kurseong,” he added. The same method has been adopted for the Jalpaiguri division.

“We have already contacted the Kurseong municipality on the issue. But the civic body is yet to respond to our proposal”, said Kurseong divisional forest officer P.R. Chand.

“If the process is implemented, promoters will have to furnish the source from which they procure the timber,” he added.

The deputy mayor, the mayor-in-council of the public works department and the mayor-in-council of the building department have, however, said they are not aware of any such proposal forwarded by the forest department.

Some others who had heard of it said it was best that the forest department handled it themselves.

An official of the civic body, who did not want to be named, said: “The civic bodies should not be dragged into the process of verifying the status of the timber being used in the construction business. It is the forest department’s business to see if illegal timber is being stocked and sold,” said the official.