Kolkata: Smuggled wildlife products, including forest trees, worth Rs 37 crore were seized by different agencies from the Siliguri corridor of West Bengal during the last one-year, as per statistics of the state forest department.
In terms of the value of products seized during the one year, the maximum was from smuggled forest trees, which accounted for Rs 13 crore.
Besides forest trees, the other smuggled wildlife products seized include, pangolins, pangolin-skin, tiger and leopard cubs, tiger and bear skins, porcupine, rare species of geckos, snake venom, elephant tusks and rhinoceroses’ horns among others. The majority of the seizures have been in areas coming under Belakoba range under Baikunthapur forest division.
Admitting that rising instances of wildlife products smuggling have become a cause of concern for his department, state forest minster Jyotipriyo Mullick on Saturday said that the state government has decided to adopt a multi-pronged strategy to counter this menace.
“As an immediate step, 400 forest guards guarding the jungle in this corridor will be equipped with motorcycles for the purpose of better patrolling within the forest stretches. At the same time, the range offices there will be equipped with specially-equipped four-wheelers to counter and combat the wildlife product smugglers,” Mullick said.
According to him, wildlife and wood smugglers from neighbouring Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar as well as from the northeastern states are active in importing these smuggled products through this Siliguri-Alipurduar corridor and then smuggle them to different parts of the country.
“So, the state forest department staff have increased the vigil in the region especially in the Belakoba range. Not a single vehicle coming from across the borders is spared, they are allowed to go only after thorough checking,” he added.
–IANS