All encroachers should vacate Intangki immediately: State govt
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 17
An obviously worried Nagaland State government today responded to the growing crisis of encroachment of land inside the Intangki National Park by asking “all the encroachers irrespective of tribe or community, to vacate the site immediately and voluntarily, so as to allow the Government to develop Intangki to its fullest potential and become the premiere National Park in the country”. On behalf of the State government, Minister for Forest, Environment Ecology & Wildlife MC Konyak issued a press communiqué pointing out that for quite a number of years people from different communities have been encroaching into the national park, inspite of the government’s best efforts, due to “sheer greed for land”.
The minister cautioned that it has today culminated into social conflicts and turned it into a law and order situation which might further deteriorate and disrupt the hard-earned “peace” in the state. “This is reiterated by the recent incident in Inavi (Naga united village) where armed cadres of an underground faction burned down houses, property and took the law into their own hands. This kind of actions can only complicate the matter further”, the Forest minister stated. The minister further appealed to all organizations of the civil society, NGOs and all right-thinking citizens of the state, to come forward and help the government in finding a solution to the present unfortunate incident in Intangki National Park. He also appealed to all parties to exercise restraint and avoid vindictive measures which will further aggravate the law and order situation.
Konyak also termed as unfortunate the fact that armed underground cadres were inside the park’s area and eviction was carried without the knowledge of the government or the Forest department. “Encroachment in any form by any group of people is not allowed within any protected area”, Konyak stated and appealed for voluntary vacation of all encroached land inside the Intangki Park.
The Minister also reminded that Intangki National Park was notified solely with the purpose to preserve and conserve the rich floristic and faunistic diversity of the state and has for many years been a sanctuary for various species of plants and animals including the rare and endangered ones like the Hoolock Gibbon, hornbill and the giant flying squirrel. “It is a national treasure and its presence in Nagaland is a matter of great pride for the people”, the Minister stated while emphasizing that Intangki is not only important and significant from a biological or scientific point of view but should also be seen important in the economical value it has for promoting tourism in the state and also because of its role in regulating climate in the state which in fact is very important in the light of the global phenomenon of climate change.
