A file photo of erstwhile Inavi/Hevito village farming sites allegedly being cultivated now by Beisumpuikam village. The photo along with others were attached along with the memorandum to the Chief Minister.
Vice President Secretariat seeks ‘action taken’ status
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 26
Intangki National Park (INP), Nagaland which was declared a national park in March 3, 1993, has been grappling with the issue of land encroachment followed by countless numbers of eviction drives undertaken by various authorities on different occasions.
Unabated encroachment at the INP had led to establishment of villages justifying the settlements. The issue also landed in the Court of law. Of recent, the issue has reached the Vice President of India’s Secretariat.
Accordingly, on February 18, 2019, the Under Secretary to the VP of India Hubri Shakeel, had written to the Nagaland Chief Secretary seeking status of the action taken on the representation submitted by the Head GB of Inavi/Hevito village to District & Session Court Dimapur Nagaland regarding ‘Eviction of illegal settlement of Beisumpuikam village at Intangki National Park.’
“...action taken may kindly be communicated to the petitioner (Head GB Inavi/Hevito village) under intimation to this Secretariat (Vice President), the official letter stated. A copy of the letter from VP’s Secretariat is also available with The Morung Express.
The representation in question was submitted by the Head GB Inavi/Hevito village to the Nagaland Chief Minister. Copies of the memorandum were also sent to President of India, Prime Minister, two MPs from Nagaland and several other important functionaries of both the centre and state.
The representation, at the outset, stated that the recognition accorded to Beisumpuikam village by the Nagaland Government vide order dated February 8, 1991 was quashed and set aside by the Gauhati High Kohima Bench vide judgement and order dated November 23, 1992.
Pointing out that Inavi/Hevito village which was similarly situated with the Beisumpuikam village was also evicted from their settlement, the representation maintained that state government is equally under an obligation to remove Beisumpuikam village from the INP without any discrimination.
The Head GB of Inavi/Hevito village also claimed that after their village was ousted from their settlement, the Beisumpuikam village has alarmingly encroached further inside INPt with “great impunity” and that the entire settlement of ousted village has been encroached upon and settled by the latter.
“Due to the apathy and laxity of the government in dealing with the illegal settlement of Beisumpuikam village, the mentioned village had been emboldened in encroaching further into INP and therefore, unless the Government of Nagaland evict the illegal settlement, the existence of INP is at great risk,” the Head GB stated.
Stating that the government should apply the same yardstick to both villages, the Head GB urged the CM to intervene and order eviction of the illegal settlement of Beisumpuikam village. The memorandum further stated, “If the Nagaland government does not have the will to evict Beisumpuikam village from their illegal settlement inside INP, it should also allow Inavi/Hevito village to re-settle inside INP from where they were ousted.”
It was learnt that no such action taken report had been communicated to the petitioner. The Morung Express also contacted the Nagaland Chief Secretary, Temjen Toy via mobile phone and text message, to know whether any action taken report had been intimated either to the petitioner or VP’s Secretariat.
The Chief Secretary sought some days to update on the issue but the query, despite a reminder, remained unanswered till the time of filing the report.
