Dimapur, June 25 (MExN): The state government will be meeting very soon to chalk out a point of action to resolve the tenacious Intangki National Park land dispute issue. A high-level committee instated by the government is expected to meet sooner the Chief Secretary of Nagaland, presently out on official duty, comes to station.
A schedule, when the deliberations would be held, has yet to be worked out.
The latest development comes in the wake of the investigation-report submitted by a team of Peren administration and Police that undertook a first-hand ‘assessment’ of the park’s enclosure. The ‘assessment’ was made on June 11, led by the Peren district administration. Thereafter, a report was submitted to the state government, which, it has been confirmed, has already received the same.
According to highly-reliable sources, a high-level committee has been set up to discuss the dispute and toward that end, identify a course of action. The provisional committee is to be at the level of the Chief Secretary of Nagaland and Nagaland Commissioner & Secretary.
Confirming the development, Nagaland Commissioner & Secretary TN Mannen said the report of the Peren administration team has been received. A meeting would be held as soon as the Chief Secretary, Lalhuma, is in station, Commissioner Mannen said.
It is observed that the ‘course of action’ would identify the cause of the current controversy, the players and scrutiny of records. It was also opined by observers that civil society of Peren, particularly the Zeliangrong Baudi (Hoho) would be part of the deliberations. The information whether or not civil society would be a part, has yet to be confirmed. However, it is expected that civil society of Peren, particularly the disputing, would form part of consultations even if not the state deliberations. Aside from the issue of rampant encroachment and illegal claim over land, a supplementary agenda – logging in the reserved forest and the presence of NSCN-IM cadres – would be the two points of interest, it was informed.
President of the Zeliangrong Baudi (Hoho) Dennis Elung also said the state government deciding to deliberate on the issue in question was conveyed to him by the Peren administration.
The Baudi chief expressed dissatisfaction that the Minister of Forest, Kheto, is ‘not too keen on protecting the reserved forest.’ Elung, however, reiterated the Hoho’s commitment to protect the forest. Eviction of the ‘encroachers’ in Intangki and complete end to the logging trade are the two focal points of interest, he reiterated. He also informed that youths from Peren are camping within the enclosure to check the trade.
The NSCN-IM when queried, said it has been a long-standing policy of the organization that Intangki National Park be preserved and protected no matter what. Convener of the Ceasefire Monitoring Cell, NSCN-IM, ‘Brig.’ Phungthing Shimrang, denied reports of cadres having ‘camps’ in the park. “The park has to be protected. It is the policy of the government to protect the park. There are no camps (of the NSCN-IM) in the park” he said. In regard to the reports of rampant logging, he said some Peren individuals might be carrying out the trade. He, however reiterated that vested interests “should not touch” Intangki and rather protect it.
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