A deer at Yoing Yimvhen
A deer at the Yaongyimchen Community Biodiveristy Conservation Area, under Longleng district. (Morung File Photo)
March 3 is World Wildlife Day
Kohima, March 2 (MExN): On World Wildlife Day, CM Chang appealed to Nagaland State’s citizens to “join hands with the Forest Department in saving, water bodies, rich wildlife of the State; come forward to declare their land solely for the purpose of wild animals and their habitats in order to ensure availability of resources for our future generation on sustained basis.”
Nagaland State Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change and Parliamentary Affairs, CM Chang, today stated this in a print message on the occasion of World Wildlife Day (WWD) on March 3. The message was shared through Satya Prakash Tripathi, Chief Wildlife Warden of Nagaland State.
WWD is commemorated on March 3 each year to commemorate the signing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna by world leaders. This year’s WWD theme is ‘Life Below Water: For People and Planet.’
People responsible for protection
The Minister observed that the “provisions of India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 are in conflict with cultural practices of the Nagas.”
The Government of Nagaland had been implementing the Act since December 18, 2018. But Nagaland is the only State of the Indian Union where extent of privately/ community owned protected areas (354.6057 Sq.Km) is more than the Government owned protected areas (241.2 Sq.Km).
“Scenario of forest and wildlife is completely different in Nagaland, as compared to other parts of our country,” stated CM Chang while reminding that in Nagaland, “the lion’s share of forest wealth (88.3%) is owned by individuals and communities.”
Thus, “the people of the State are more responsible for protection and conservation of forest and wildlife as compared to the Government.”
Functions of forests are independent of their ownership. Similarly, wild animals do not differentiate between Government owned forests and privately owned forests. They exist where they get food, water, shelter and security.
The Government of Nagaland has notified 57 Community Reserves and a “good number” of proposals for notification of Community Conservation Areas (CCAs) into Community Reserves are under process, he informed.
“People are coming forward to declare their land for wild animals and their habits,” noted the Minister.
Meanwhile, there are 421 wetlands, spread over 21554 hectare in Nagaland State.
“These wetlands are degraded, polluted due to biotic factors namely; siltation, catchment erosion, discharge of domestic sewage and effluents, etc. which result in deterioration of water quality and prolific weed growth, decline in biodiversity and other associative problems. There is a need of conservation of water bodies,” appealed CM Chang.
