Dimapur, February 13 (MExN): Days after the Nagaland Timber Traders’ Union (NTTU) alleged the “resumption of illegal taxation by Police and Forest department personnel at check gates, the Chümoukedima Forest Range responded on Saturday, terming the allegations, ‘wild’ and ‘baseless’.
A statement issued by Ruokuo Angami, Forester-I on behalf of the mobile duty team under Chümoukedima Forest Range on February 13 said that they were enforcing rules and guidelines issued by the State government.
“As far as our team is concerned, like any other government servant, we are duty bound to enforce the existing rules and guidelines issued by the Government of Nagaland,” it stated.
“Instead of becoming a law-abiding organization, it is very unfortunate to see that the NTTU is making wild allegations against the enforcing government servants on duty,” the statement read.
It also said that any kind of forest royalty collected is duly credited to the state government's treasury and not for personal use. As such, the allegation of illegal taxation is baseless, it added.
The statement further said, as admitted by the NTTU, the truck was transporting timbers without any valid document, which is illegal as per law. “In such cases, penalty is imposed as per existing government guidelines, which eventually goes to government revenue.”
While the NTTU claimed that the timber was for local or personal use from Kiphire, it is in the public knowledge that the Union’s President Kevise Sogotsu is a veteran timber trader who supplies huge quantity of timber outside the state every year, not by himself, but through non-local traders, the statement read.
The attempt to evade payment of legitimate government taxes in the pretext of local consumption is very unfortunate, it added.
It also said that the NTTU’s statement that "the question of possession of TP did not arise when transportation of timber or any other forest produce was within the state" is ‘misleading and is a punishable offence as per Forest Acts’.
Stating that they are duty-bound to regularly check any forest related illegal activity, the statement added, “We will continue to perform our duties as per government guidelines and not for any individual interest.”
Earlier on February 12, it was reported that the matter was under investigation and the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Dimapur had assured that appropriate action would be taken against any personnel found guilty.
