Thepfulhouvi Solo
4 years after Nagaland came into being, 55 years ago; in 1967 on the way back after scaling Mount Saramati, I stood at a bone tingling precipice high above Tizü River’s biggest pool before it enters Burma. The VGs (Village Guards) accompanying informed ‘big Ducks’ come to the pool so deep one does not hear Grenade thrown into the water explode. The superstitious Villagers fear it like they fear evil Spirits.
Major Kathing, then Chief Secretary Nagaland, on hearing my description of the 3 roaring rapids of the Likimro river before it joined the Tizü a little downstream, asked me to give a Report to Japan trained Chief Engineer Power, Mr. Lanu Toy, brought from Assam at great reluctance of its Chief Minister, and Mr Akum Imlong, Minister in charge of Tuensang affair ‘10 year Special Category Area’. The Investigation of Doyang Hydro Project had just started and there was no organizational Staff sufficient for another Hydro Investigation.
The Likimro with rare Hill Trout fish in its water is so remote the last Circle Officer Post at nearby Pungro even was supplied by Air Droppings up to early 70s. The area appeared human beings forgotten and the thought of road connection was mind boggling; one could not even imagine! The impossible area would take possibly perhaps centuries to have a road connection.
Unbelievably, amazingly and unexpectedly however, the potential of the Likimro for Hydro Electricity Project made the Macedonian call to the Government and the Border Road Organization construct a Road enabling today 2012 for Car to reach Pungro SDO HQ, now upgraded to ADC, in 11. hrs of fast driving from Kohima.
The Road enabled the people make on the Roadside new Villages more than one can remember seeing on a single trip along the NH.202; Longmatra, a Border Road Organization Camp on the roadside in early 70s has now become a good sized Village with a Church; thatched Baptist Church at Pungro Village is now an impressive RCC Building with a high Steeple from where Mount Saramati is a pleasure to observe. The native breeds of Pigs and Chickens are nowhere seen.
The Likimro Hydro Power station galvanized the whole area. The cultivators are still in subsistence level but the Project transformed the people of the whole area; had it not been for the Likimro Waterfalls, the area would have remained the most difficult undeveloped portion of Nagaland. The Rapids of Likimro has been a blessing to the whole area people may not realize.
Prior to 2000, the whole of erstwhile Mon District, entire erstwhile Tuensang District, most of Chakhesang and Sümi Areas surprisingly, had no Gamari (Gmelina arborea) Tree, one of the costly very versatile species suited for lasting wall Paneling -termite and worm resistant- costly Furniture, Plates, Spoons and Bowls, Wood Carving, Photo frames etc. Thanks to the Forest Department introducing the species in the region, today Gomari is extremely doing well in the hot areas of Meluri, Akhwego, Kiphiri areas. The Villagers have realized the success of the Species in the area and have planted the Tree on their own.
Nowhere else in this ancient land of India has Villagers done more Tree plantation per capita than in Nagaland and the plantations are seen in every nook and corner of Nagaland. Wood Production rather than Rice Production has the potential to change the economy of Nagaland; the People of Pungro, Kiphire, Akhwego, Lungmatra: the whole area east of Sitimi, south of Shamator, north of Meluri do not cultivate Rice; they cultivate only Corn. Wood, not Rice is the solution to the economy of Nagaland. Wood Production affects every household economy: Cement Production necessarily affects only the Government economy.
I have not seen an 8th year Gomari and Teak plots in India from Kashmir to Kerela, from Rajasthan to Nagaland better than in the Meluri–Akhwego-Kiphere Roadsides along on this side of the Züngki river with perhaps the cleanest water in Nagaland. Trees have tremendous Capital Economy.
One Truckload of Gomari is valued at more than Rs. 2, 00, 000/ whereas the popular Akhwego Corn could fetch hardly Rs.1,00,000/ per Truck and choicest Pfütsero Cabbage only Rs. 50,000/ per Truck. The Honey from the whole of Nagaland in one year would hardly weigh more than one Truck Load. There is no comparison with Gomari or Teak which do not deteriorate even in rough handling in its Trade Journey from Nagaland to the timber Markets in Chenai, Bareili, or Gujarat.
Wood Production has tremendous potential for the Economy of the People of the Area. At present the people subsist on the Corn Production. It is not for nothing that the Villagers there do not grow rice. In a decade or so they will have high income from their Pine, Gomari, Khokon, and Teak plots. At the moment, the National Highway 202 is in excellent condition and this forebodes great promise to the people in the Area.
Rice has no commercial Future in mountainous Nagaland. Terrace Fields are so few and fare between they cannot support even the Family. The State will continue to import Rice from Andhra where to the great embarrassment of India’s diminutive decent Prime Minister, Rice Farmers continue to commit Suicide unable to endure the Poverty.
The Likimro Hydro Power Station is just a Power Station and however important role it has played in the transformation of the People, it has not the potential to be Internationally important. India has so many Hydro Stations that dwarfs Likimro.
On the other hand, the Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary has the great potential to galvanize international interest. It is, with those in Arunachal, one of the rare High Altitude Wildlife Sanctuaries in Tropical India. Nagaland is known for the Tragopan bird. Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary has more Tragopans than anywhere in Nagaland and on the way to it people will have the occasion of coming across very rare Giant Canes Trees of Nagaland on the Roadsides.
The Sanctuary has potential to energize the life of the Under-Privileged Have-nots of the interior areas more that Likimro Rapids had. European Union would even welcome to collaborate in Organizational Expertise transfer, Financial supports and Technical know-how in the preservation of the rich biodiversity the precious few High Altitude Sanctuaries such as in Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary.
