Wildlife Range in Wokha soon

Wokha, July 6 (MExN): A Wildlife Range in Wokha would be created soon, a state government informed recently. Speaking on behalf of Government of Nagaland, Imtienla Ao, Secretary, Forest Department disclosed this while discussing the financial condition of the Government and budget allocation to the Forest Department during ‘Human-Elephant (Wild Animal) Conflict Mitigation’ awareness campaign on July 4.  

It was organised by at Hammock Resort, Wokha Town by the Forest Department, Government of Nagaland with sponsorship of the MoEF & CC, Government of India on July 4.  

Around 150 people, officers from the district administration, police, forest department, veterinary and animal husbandry department, chairmen and members of village councils of villages affected with Human-Elephant conflict from Wokha-Zunheboto district participated in the programme.  

RK Srivastava, Inspector General of Forest and Director, Project Elephant, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India who was the chief guest stated in his address that both the Government of India and Government of Nagaland are well aware and concerned with the protracted problem of Human-Elephant prevalent in the region. He disclosed that the Ministry will extend all possible assistance to address the issue by paying compensation and ex-gratia to the affected and for creation of elephant based community reserves.  

While appealing the villagers not to harm elephants, he suggested following adoptive cropping pattern, insuring their domestic cattle in consultation with the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department for getting compensation against killing by wild elephants, show solidarity in elephant conservation and develop affected areas as tourist centres in the same pattern of protection of Amur falcons.  

He requested the Forest Department, Government of Nagaland to strengthen the Wildlife Wing and create Wildlife Range at Wokha. He also suggested the Chief Wildlife Warden, Nagaland to pursue with the concerned authorities for possible infrastructural funding for the Wildlife Wing with the North East Council, Ministry for Development of the North-East Region, Government of India, New Delhi under Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources scheme.  

Satya Prakash Tripathi, Chief Wildlife Warden, Nagaland, in his keynote address highlighted the policies of the State Government and the MoEF & CC, GoI, New Delhi for addressing the problem. He made power point presentation, highlighting history, extent, assessment and payment of compensation/possible solution to the problem. He appealed to the people for protection of forest and wildlife and contact forest officials in case of damage of their crop/ properties/ human life. He also presented on the status of community reserves in the state of Nagaland.  

Power point presentation on different aspects of Human-Animal conflict was made by Meyipokyim, IFS, APCCF (Territorial). Supongnukshi, CCF (EBR) made power point presentation on distribution of wild elephants in the region and also on possibility of opening blocked elephant corridors, connecting Assam and Nagaland.  

Satyendra Singh, Director, Kaziranga National Park and representative of the Government of Assam, deliberated on possible adoption and mitigation of the elephant problem, pros and cons of opening blocked elephant corridors, between Assam and Nagaland.  

Dr C. Murry, former Minister appreciated the efforts of the department and appealed to the Department to provide sufficient elephants repellent materials. The ADC, Wokha spoke on the role played by the district administration in addressing the issue. Additional SP, Wokha spoke on the role of the Police Department in curbing wildlife crime and requested the Forest Department for trainings the police personnel on Wildlife Acts. There was good number of speakers from public who highlighted the problem caused by wild elephants.  

Interaction was held where questions raised by the public were responded by the department officials followed by a demonstration on elephant repellents from the Wildlife Crime Control Branch, Dimapur.