Initiative underway of declaring select sites of repute in Nagaland as ‘UNESCO Site’
Kohima, July 7 (MExN): Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of Nagaland has embark on an ambitious initiative of declaring select landscapes or conservation sites of repute in Nagaland as UNESCO sites. The department has initially identified three landscapes- Dzukou Valley and adjoining areas, Amur Falcon Roosting Areas in Doyang Valley and Saramati Range, to be proposed to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for their inclusion by the international organisation.
Dr. Ram Boojh, Programme Specialist (Natural Sciences) UNESCO Office, New Delhi was on a four day visit to the state to assess the feasibility of these sites being covered under the UNESCO programmes, either as Biosphere Reserve or World Heritage Site. It is understood that to be declared as an UNESCO Site, the area or the landscape should possess “Outstanding Universal Value” either naturally or culturally.
In a meeting of the senior officials of the Government and Forest Department held at the conference of the Chief Secretary, Nagaland on June 27, preliminary presentation on potentials of these selected sites was made. The visiting official expressed his agreement that the proposed sites had potential to be declared as the UNESCO Site.
A stakeholder consultation meeting was organised by the department on June 27 where in senior forest Officers including M. Lokeswara Rao, PCCF & HoFF, visiting officials from UNESCO, officiating members of Southern Angami Public Organisation and representatives from villages in the Dzukou Valley Landscape discussed and deliberate the possibility of declaration of the landscape as Biosphere Reserve or World Heritage Site. Similar stakeholder consultations were organised at Pangti and New Riphyim village in to assess the prospects of Doyang valley landscape for UNESCO Site.
The visiting UNESCO Officer Dr. Ram Boojh visited several places in the Dzukou Valley Landscape and Doyang valley Landscape (New Riphyim and Pangti) along with the forest officers and community leaders on June 28 and 29 respectively to gain first-hand experience of the natural wealth and socio-cultural diversity in the proposed landscape. Dzukou Valley Landscape has been put forth as a bright prospect as it happens to be a place with exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance with superlative natural phenomenon of creation of conducive microclimate. Similarly, Doyang valley has attracted the attention of the UNESCO official as it is emerging as a significant habitat for in-situ conservation of species with outstanding Universal value i.e., Amur Falcons
Dr. Ram Boojh later called on Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr. Nicky Kire to appraise him about the intentions of the UNESCO to assess the proposed sites for inclusion under their programme. Dr. Nicky Kire, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change called upon the department officials and visiting dignitaries to make all efforts to declare the proposed sites under the provisions of UNESCO so that the communities involved would be empowered to reap the direct and indirect benefits of such declaration. He also stated that such declaration would put the unique landscapes being conserved by the local communities on global map and bring umpteen laurels to the society.
This was stated in a press release issued by Temjenyabang, Conservator of Forests (PUB), Office of the PCCF & HoFF Kohima.
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