Dimapur, July 8 (MExN): Nagaland’s Forest minister, forest officials and officials of the Rural Development and Commerce & Industries are accused of acquiring lands from the Hotahoti Reserved Forest in Naginimora of Mon district. The forest, with an area of more than 1000 acres, was declared Government Reserved Forest in the 1970s.
“Leaving the Reserved Forest barren, it appears that the Forest minister, some officers of Forest, Rural Development and Industries departments have taken control of huge chunk of land and bricks farm house has been erected by a top public leader. As if sharing of looted booties by the pirates, illegally acquired lands have been distributed to the NPF workers like distributing sweets,” stated the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee in a note decrying the ‘piracy.’
“In forest devastation spree, in Hotahoti Reserved forest in Naginimora area of Mon district, having an area of more than 1000 acres and declared as a Government Reserved Forest in mid 1970s by making all the requisite payment to the villagers, is now destroyed and the entire forest have been converted into private fields and farms by the privileged people,” the Congress stated.
The activity of the said minister and the officials of the department named, is a glaring instance of abuse of power and authority, the NPCC said and demanded that the Forest minister should step down immediately. The Congress also demanded that a high-level inquiry committee should be set up by the government to investigate into the whole matter. The people involved, including leaders, government officers and public involved, should be booked and awarded punishment appropriately as per given laws, the Congress said.
The Congress reminded that across the world, Global Warming and climate change have evoked serious concern of people of all races; policy-makers, concerned green activists and experts have been painstakingly devising means to mitigate the alarming scourge of human intrusion to make the globe a safer, better and secure place to live in.
“Whereas in Nagaland, in sheer contradiction, the lackluster attitude is vividly shown when the DAN government and Forest department headed by its minister have utterly failed to contain the rampant undesirable activities of encroachment and deforestation in our priced Intangki Reserved Forest,” the Congress stated. But, the NPCC reminded, the state government, armed with all legal provisions and thousands of security personnel has only displayed feebleness even to the extent of roping in the services of civil society.
