Naga cultural traditions have been environmentally conscious: Minister Yollow

World Environment Day observed across Nagaland

Morung Express News 
Mokokchung/Dimapur | June 5

State government departments, social organisations, educational institutions, and individuals in Nagaland have been conducting various awareness activities and programmes to commemorate World Environment Day (WED) which falls on June 5.

At the Dimapur Forest Division, Nagaland Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change YM Yollow emphasised on the significance of the occasion and how the Naga cultural traditions have been environmentally conscious. He urged the gathering which included divisional staff and officers as well as representatives of Nagaland Forest Executive Staff Association and council members, youths and women of Forest Colony to continue plantations and cultivate personal interest towards well being of the environment.

According to a press release, since May 30, the Dimapur Forest Division had been conducting awareness and plantation programmes along with distribution of saplings in all Range & Beat Offices. The same was also conducted in several schools, churches, NGOs, Student bodies; plantations in collaboration with the District Administration, Police, Army, CRPF and also with several other departments.

More than 95,000 saplings of several ornamental, timber and fruit trees were distributed; along with the awareness, distribution and plantations, with emphasis on after-care and ensuring survival of planted saplings, the release stated. The programme was followed by plantation of saplings at Forest Colony, Dimapur.

CMC: In Mokokchung district, the Clean Mokokchung Campaign (CMC) concluded their waste bin distribution campaign at Satier Sector, Aliba village, by conducting a Sunday service at Satier Sarasadem Ki.

On the occasion, CMC core member Temsutoshi Longkumer shared on the initiatives of the Campaign and on the awareness of plastic use and cleanliness. He challenged the residents of Satier sector to make their sector a plastic-free zone and to adopt ways and means to keep the area clean.

Another CMC core member Anung shared messages from the Bible during the service.

CMC donated a waste bin to Satier Sector and also planted tree saplings donated by Child Line Mokokchung after the service. CMC waste bin distribution campaign is funded under the Local Area Development (LADP) Fund and the campaign has distributed waste bins to ten educational institutions, churches, and offices.

Kiphire:  Addressing the celebration at Agape School, Kiphire, the District Project Officer, Department of Land Resources Lipichem asked the students to take care of environment so as to maintain sustainability for generations to come. 

During the event which was held under the theme ‘Only One Earth,’ he also encouraged the students to be ambassadors for sustainable environment not only on World Environment Day but on all occasions.

The Headmaster of Agape School meanwhile, expressed gratitude to the department for choosing the school to mark the occasion, while urging the students to be sensitive to the needs of everyone so that the planet we live in is sustainable.

Other highlights of the day included collage making, painting and clay modelling competition wherein 115 students participated. 

Entrepreneurs Associates:  Marking the occasion, the Entrepreneurs Associates (EA) underscored its ambitious ‘Trees for Wealth (TfW)’ project which aims to plant 1 billion fruit trees by 2050.

The EA which works closely with rural communities, entrepreneurs, farmers, and community members noted that erratic changes in weather have been posing challenges even to the routine farming cultivation in Nagaland.

“Factual records further corroborate our concerns. In 2019-20 Nagaland recorded one of the highest declines in forest cover in India. It is recorded that Nagaland lost 235 square kilometres of forest cover as per the ‘India State of Forest Report 2021’ (ISFR) prepared by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) and released in January,” it stated in a press release.

Nagaland, it said, has also witnessed natural calamities and disasters that led to increased landslides, soil erosion, and landslips as well as flash floods both in the hills and plain areas leading to loss of lives and huge damage to property both private and public in the recent past.

Noting that such natural calamities will increase if efforts towards restoration of natural heritage are not done now, the EA stated that it has planted nearly 15,000 fruit tree saplings across the state through collaborations with 12 schools in Kohima and Dimapur, the office of the Kohima State Legal Services Authority, and Village Development Boards, in the week leading up to WED.

In Thetsumi village, Phek District, EA in collaboration with the Village Development Board is engaging the community to plant 10,600 fruit trees to signify their commitment towards nurturing the ecosystem and healing ecological wounds afflicted by reckless damage to the environment. The village has committed to making the efforts of environmental protection a conscious and deliberate one and engaging the community as a whole, it stated.

Besides planting fruit trees, the TfW movement has been committed to educating and creating awareness about the issues related to caring for the planet and ensuring that we pass on a habitable land to the coming generations, while developing a vibrant local economy, the press release stated.

New Police Reserve Kohima: At the New Police Reserve, Kohima the Police Union Baptist Church organised a plantation drive during which Nagaland DGP T John Longkumer stated that the Police department in partnership with Forest department has undertaken massive plantation drives all over the State. A total of 10 Police Units have planted 20,000 saplings this year, he said, thanking all the police personnel for taking part in the drives. After the church service at PUBC, the police personnel planted around 100 saplings in the Church surroundings, a DIPR report stated.

Similarly, the New Police Reserve Lotha Union in collaboration with the Forest Department, Kohima Division planted about seven hundred saplings including peepal, silver oak, pine, cherry and black berry in the PUBC vicinity on Saturday.

On behalf of the union, ADGP (ADM) and Advisor to the NRLE Renchamo P Kikon urged upon the community to render contributions towards the society and to nurture the saplings trees within their surroundings.

Tuensang: The Tuensang Forest Division in collaboration with Longtang Village Council marked the occasion with a programme on June 4 wherein Tuensang SP Vishal was the special guest.

Tuensang DFO Samom Khelen Singh highlighted the significance of the day and cautioned about climate change and excessive interference in the surrounding ecosystems which affect health and leave lasting negative effects on human future.

SP Vishal lauded the initiatives and commitment of the people towards conservation and suggested that the community practice planting at least one tree to mark special occasions. He also assured to contribute the Tuensang Police truck at least twice a month for villagers to transport fruits and vegetables to Tuensang market.

The roles and objectives of the Green Village Management Committee, Longtang in conservation practice were highlighted by Chairperson Y Moa. The programme ended with planting of trees around the village.

At the Longkhim Range which falls under Tuensang Forest Division, saplings were distributed in the presence of local MLA Muthingnyuba Sangtam and all the heads of departments under Longkhim Sub-Division. The importance of celebrating the day and the need for peaceful co-existence with nature was highlighted by various speakers during the event. Saplings were also distributed to all HoDs to plant near their establishments. 

GBUD: The GBs Union Dimapur (Sadar) also held a tree plantation programme at the New Naga Cemetery, Zani Village on June 4. On the occasion DMC Administrator Albert Ezung, OSD for Transport Department Niholu Ayemi, and NCD Vice-President Holuto Aye lauded the efforts of the Union and also underscored the importance of maintaining the ecosystem. This was followed by tree plantation in the cemetery premises by GBUD (Sadar), NCD, NWHD and other individuals. 

Peren Dist: On June 4, the Zeliang Students’ Union Nagaland (ZLSUN) in collaboration with Peren District Legal Services Authority conducted a plantation drive along with the students and village council members of 4 villages, namely, Punglwa village, Gaili village, Ngwalwa village, and Heningkunglwa village. The collaborative team planted around 300-400 saplings in the stretch between Jalukie Town to Punglwa Village, ZLSUN Media Cell informed in a press release.

Zunheboto: The Soil and Water Conservation Department, Zunheboto took on the task of planting 50 cherry trees and other local tree species along the approach road and boundary areas of the District Nursery at Vekuho Village.

The plantation was in line with the clarion call of Deputy Commissioner Rahul Bhanudas Mali during his first DPDB address earlier in April where he called for planting cherry trees in all government offices and surrounding areas, according to a press release from DSCO Hetoho Y Swu.

New Delhi: At the Nagaland House, New Delhi, Additional; Chief Secretary and Chief Resident Commissioner Jyoti Kalash along with the staff observed the day by planting fruit trees at both the houses in RK PUram and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road. The CRC is said to have highlighted the importance of world environment, global warming and protection of nature, as per a press release on Sunday.

PBCA: In Longleng, the Phom Baptist Church Association (PBCA) in collaboration with World Vision, India Longleng observed Green Mission Sunday-cum-World Environment Day with Rajya Sabha MP S Phangnon Konyak and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Head of Forest Force Dharmendra Prakash as special guest and guest of honour respectively.

The MP is said to have called upon the gathering to come forward and make Longleng the ‘Champion and Warriors of Climate Change’ by following the initiative of the PBCA. Longleng is a small district in a small state, but giant activities and great achievements are coming up, she said.

Terming the PBCA’s effort to take up environmental concerns and social issue as a unique approach, Phangnon lauded the PBCA and asserted that while Climate Change is a global issue “we can respond to it locally in a simple way by planting trees.” Pointing out that social media is a powerful tool, she also urged the students to use it to encourage others by posting about the initiative taking place in the district for global impact. 

She also said that drought like situation declared by the state government and reports of snow falls in various parts of the state in the recent past indicates that climate change has started affecting the environment in the state and threatening food security. She also informed the concern of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his five strategies to control climate change, the release stated.

Meanwhile, PBCA Executive Secretary N Tialemba Phom highlighted the activities of the PBCA Green Mission and informed that since its inception in 2018, more than 20000 saplings have been planted and 9000 saplings distributed to local churches in the district.

Others who addressed the gathering included Dharmendra Prakash, Longleng DC M Shayung Phom and Lalremthang, Project Officer World Vision, India Longleng.

As per the release, the PBCA Green Mission initiated tree plantations along the roadside from Dikhu River to Longleng town. It was done jointly with the District Administration, Phom Students’ Conference, PBCA and student bodies of Yachem, Noksosang, Yaongyimchen, Alayong, Orangkong and Hamlikong.