Dimapur, November 23 (MExN): The tree planters and timber traders under the aegis of Nagaland Tree Planters' Association (NTPA) has appealed the state government to contemplate on their genuine grievances and lift the ban on timber export which is done through allotment of railway wagons on quarterly basis.
In a press release on Monday, the NTPA requested the government to allow export of both finished and raw timbers in a more systematic method by way of permitting export of finished timber products/goods such as plywood, moulding beats and furniture within North Eastern States by road only and raw or unfinished timbers such as sawn/fanta outside north east by railways only through allotment of wagons on quarterly basis as permitted by Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change.
It said that the ban has resulted in the slowing down of developments, aggravating the poverty of forest dependent communities and other vulnerable rural groups and forcing them into wasteful, unplanned depletion of forest resources in a struggle to improve the overall existence.
Further, the NTPA stated that the concept of permitting only export of finished wood products outside northeast states through railway would not yield any positive results as processing of timber alone, is a multi-staged process which would cause wastage of time, energy and investment in the long run. It also pointed out the need for skilled and manual labours which is not readily available.
“It is also pertinent to mention here that the finished products produced by us won't meet the eyes of the buyers in the metropolitan cities as in this modern digital age; our products cannot compete with the high tech furniture pieces,” it added.
The major cause for the “distressful plight of the tree farmers in Nagaland,” the NTPA said, is because they are small and marginal farmers, who are dependent on this trade alone for survival.
“All of us have the fundamental human right to fulfilling, dignified work and livelihood, including equal access to productive resources and to basic labour protections,” it added.
