Siliguri, Dec. 9: The forest department believes that it will be able to tackle the timber mafia in Baikunthapur division if it concentrates on sharing information and follows the new plan that it has chalked out for the purpose.

The division, which has seized timber worth Rs 1.5 crore in the past one year, has formed a 10-member special squad to monitor the movement of trucks carrying the forest produce to Siliguri. The squad comprises five teams and each one is equipped with a motorbike and a walkie-talkie.

“Most of the vehicles carrying timber come from the Dooars and their destination is Bihar. The smugglers use Siliguri as a transit point where they unload and load the timber,” said Sailes Anand, the divisional forest officer of Baikunthapur.

According to sources, while one cubic feet of timber yielded Rs 800-1,000 in the state, in Bihar, the price would be Rs 2,000.

Anand said once the foresters started keeping watch at the entry points to Siliguri and seizing timber, the smugglers had changed their operation pattern. “Earlier, they used to smuggle before sunrise. Now, they prefer daytime when offices are open and everybody is busy with their routine work,” he said.

“Besides, the truck that is loaded with different varieties of timber is escorted by at least two vehicles. While one vehicle moves in front of the truck and its occupants check whether any forester is present on the route, the other goes behind. Once it is found that no forest employee is keeping guard, the truck would be given the green light to proceed,” said the officer.

Anand said the department had introduced a scheme under which the guards (the members of the squad) collecting information about the illegal movement of timber would be given incentives.

“The guards are monitored from the divisional head office and every evening, the inputs they collect are discussed and shared among themselves so that the operations could be carried out more successfully,” said Anand.

The foresters have also started collecting information from the workers who are engaged by smugglers to load and unload timbers at different places in and around the town.