Dimapur, July 9 (MExN): The Zeliangrong Baudi today issued an elaborate statement placing its contentions regarding Intangki Reserved Forest, Beisampuikam and Inavi village and the history of issues as they stand presently.
The baudi also threw up some startling disclosures including one that said the Forest and Wildlife department is hiding established facts about rampant logging activities being undertaken in Intangki by some rich and powerful contractors. Also, the baudi mentioned one Late “Inavi” who was said to be one of the “heaviest log operator” inside the government forest. He was arrested with fifty-two other people, imprisoned and released from the central jail only after a “bond paper” was signed, the baudi said. Late Inavi is said to have “become an encroacher.” The Forest department is hiding these facts, the baudi stated in its lengthy statement received here today.
The baudi expressed ‘pain’ that the ‘power point presentation’ of the Forest department was made with ‘all fabrication’ and designed to tarnish Beisampuikam village with the charge of poaching and logging inside the reserved park.
“We fail to understand why the department officials try to hide the report of seized logs in huge quality (sic), vehicles, elephants owned by rich and powerful contractors. How can one expect a mere villager for the rampant destruction and exploitation taking place under the nose of the Wildlife officials; we also fail to understand why the department have to hide the true story on record and throw blame only to Beisampuikam village for poaching and logging,” the Zeliangrong Baudi said.
Another ‘interesting story’ the Wildlife department is hiding, the baudi said, is that of one Late Inavi, who used to be “one of the heaviest log operator” inside the forest; he ‘became an encroacher’ for which he was arrested along with 52 other people. They were released from the central jail only after signing a ‘bond,’ the baudi disclosed. The baudi wondered ‘why the department in concern is hiding these facts and blaming only Beisampuikam village.’
Here, the baudi reminded that every Naga tribe knows of the traditional boundary system and land holding system of the Nagas; every tribe has its specific land territory. There is not an inch of land in the Naga country without its owner, the Baudi said. The Baudi said the present Intangki National park was acquired by the British during 1921-1923 from the then Beisampui village after a nominal compensation; the village then deputed two persons to assist “the survey party” which took two months; the landowner village was then given free access to use a salt spring (‘Tezai’) inside the forest.
In regard to Beisampuikam village, the Zeliangrong Baudi said it was established in 1982 with the full consent of the landowner village, Beisampui, and later recognized by the state government. Beisampuikam village was shifted to the present location in December 1992. The state Wildlife department objected to the move and evicted the village in March 1993.
The Baudi said the landowner village and the Zeliangrong Hoho intervened and “mooted the idea” of land exchange with the department, which accepted.
The baudi said that the terms were that Beisampuikam village would “block the gateway of illegal poachers, loggings and land encroachers” and the exchanged land being a highland would serve as a buffer zone for wildlife.
The proposal for the land exchange was moved by the Wildlife division through ‘PCCF (N)’ and accordingly the state cabinet approved it by a cabinet memo in 1995, the baudi said.
Regarding Inavi village, the Baudi said the village being evicted 29 times is a “normal procedure” under the Forest acts because the village is illegal and encroached inside government land. “…the number of evictions will not give them any right to settle there now or ever,” the baudi remarked. The Zeliangrong Hoho also wondered when, how an why Inavi village was changed to so-called “united Naga village” and whether there was any official sanction from the Naga hoho and tribal hohos in concern.
