The recent escalation in the price of timber at Kohima and Dimapur to at all time high of Rs 500/ (five hundred) only pre cefty of class A timber has not generated any public protest or demand for justification by the consumers, NGO’s or authorities. Like most issue detrimental to our interest as a collective whole to us as a state and Naga people, we have always managed to be stoical about it and dismissed our responsibilities and duties with the seemingly innocuous term ‘ opai nai ‘ in nagamese meaning ‘no option’. This venom of a word Opai nai has severely paralyzed our society and advancement of our state.
Rapid deforestations of our virgin forest due to unrestrained and illegal logging activities through out our state to quench the greed of certain non locals businessman and profiteers based in Dimapur. Our rich forests, hasting huge number of trees that have thrived for a few centuries is fast disappearing, much adverse impact on our climate is being experienced year after. A single instance of train ferrying timber from Dimapur to outside our state will help bring clarity to these alarming trend.
A train with 35 wagons (dabas) ferries timber from Dimapur, once every 3 months is estimated to have removed 3,92,0009 (three lacs ninety-two thousand) matric tones of timber from Nagaland every year. For the benefit of a layman, each wagonload of the train carries 2800 ( two thousand eight hundred) equivalent to the total carrying capacity of 150 Punjab body trucks. In a single trip,98000(ninty eight thousand) matric tones is taken away and in a one year, it reaches a mind boggling, 392000 matric tones of timber. The local supplier are paid a sum of Rs 300/ only maximum per cefty of wood, even less than the price it fetches from local mill owners. These timber fetches Rs 1600 or more approximately per cefty and the irresponsible non local dealers makes crores of Rupees in profit. Some enterprising local traders tried to do away with this exploitation and set out to deal directly with outside markets but had to suffer substantial losses for their efforts as none of the outside traders did business with them, at the instance of this Dimapur based non local traders, who has completely monopolized this trade.
It was revealed that the forest Dept booked this train and wagons were allotted to few parties bearing Naga names, who are in actual facts, fronts for these non local traders, and the end result is that the train ends up ferrying his timber. It is pertinent to note that the supreme court of India had issued directives to reign in unrestrained and illegal logging activities, all over the country as this activity poses an immediate threat to inflict permanent environmental damage to our country. The state of Nagaland by virtue of Article 371 A of the constitution was granted certain relaxation. By this very provision that purports to severe and defend our interest is being exploited for the benefit of non local profiteer, to our detriment in enjoyment of these natural resources and our environment.
As a concerned citizen, I humbly urge the people of Nagaland, every individual,NGOs,Government and non Governmental authorities, to speak up and act decisively. Our urgency, without waiting for the other to respond may be instrumental in ensuring that our future generations continue to enjoy, what we have acquired from our ancestors.
Jonny Lotha,
Aroba,
Atulie.
Forest colony kohima.
Rapid deforestations of our virgin forest due to unrestrained and illegal logging activities through out our state to quench the greed of certain non locals businessman and profiteers based in Dimapur. Our rich forests, hasting huge number of trees that have thrived for a few centuries is fast disappearing, much adverse impact on our climate is being experienced year after. A single instance of train ferrying timber from Dimapur to outside our state will help bring clarity to these alarming trend.
A train with 35 wagons (dabas) ferries timber from Dimapur, once every 3 months is estimated to have removed 3,92,0009 (three lacs ninety-two thousand) matric tones of timber from Nagaland every year. For the benefit of a layman, each wagonload of the train carries 2800 ( two thousand eight hundred) equivalent to the total carrying capacity of 150 Punjab body trucks. In a single trip,98000(ninty eight thousand) matric tones is taken away and in a one year, it reaches a mind boggling, 392000 matric tones of timber. The local supplier are paid a sum of Rs 300/ only maximum per cefty of wood, even less than the price it fetches from local mill owners. These timber fetches Rs 1600 or more approximately per cefty and the irresponsible non local dealers makes crores of Rupees in profit. Some enterprising local traders tried to do away with this exploitation and set out to deal directly with outside markets but had to suffer substantial losses for their efforts as none of the outside traders did business with them, at the instance of this Dimapur based non local traders, who has completely monopolized this trade.
It was revealed that the forest Dept booked this train and wagons were allotted to few parties bearing Naga names, who are in actual facts, fronts for these non local traders, and the end result is that the train ends up ferrying his timber. It is pertinent to note that the supreme court of India had issued directives to reign in unrestrained and illegal logging activities, all over the country as this activity poses an immediate threat to inflict permanent environmental damage to our country. The state of Nagaland by virtue of Article 371 A of the constitution was granted certain relaxation. By this very provision that purports to severe and defend our interest is being exploited for the benefit of non local profiteer, to our detriment in enjoyment of these natural resources and our environment.
As a concerned citizen, I humbly urge the people of Nagaland, every individual,NGOs,Government and non Governmental authorities, to speak up and act decisively. Our urgency, without waiting for the other to respond may be instrumental in ensuring that our future generations continue to enjoy, what we have acquired from our ancestors.
Jonny Lotha,
Aroba,
Atulie.
Forest colony kohima.
