Worried about the diminishing forest and wildlife at Intangki National Park, the Zeliangrong Baudi (N) has taken up an initiative of taking prompt action against illegal logging. The organization has also sent an appeal to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Head Forest Force, Department of Forests, Ecology, Environment and Wildlife.
The Committee for the Protection of the Intangki National Park, which was set up in February this year is now making an effort to create awareness programs, campaigns and sensitization for safeguarding and preservation of what is left of the forest now.
In an effort to stop illegal logging, the Committee identified strategic locations and brought in JCBs to block the roads.
“We don’t want to repeat another Rangapahar incident, said Akhang, Advisor, Zeliangrong Baudi (N), an activist who has been working tirelessly towards safeguarding of Intangki against encroachment and illegal logging for decades.
The initiatives have gained stronger momentum given the State government’s failure to safeguard the forest, the Committee members asserted.
The Zeliangrong Baudi (N) viewed that ever since the declaration of Intangki Forest as National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary under Peren district; many vested individuals have been indulging in illegal logging and illicit transport of wildlife products outside Nagaland.
Recommendations forwarded to the government for the preservation of the Park by Zeliangrong Baudi (N) include
- Equipping modern arms to the personnel of Forest Protection Force,
- Building intelligence inputs and effective communication systems
- Installation of camera traps inside the Park to keep an eye on illegal activities.
The organization further recommended that more posts under the Forest Protection Force such as forest guards and foresters under DFO or Assistant Conservator of Forest be created.
It has also demanded for constitution of village level Community Forest Committee (CFC) under Joint Forest Management through which preservation of forests is ensured.
While most National parks in the country have its own Directorates inside the park, Intangki’s Directorate is based in Dimapur. The organization has therefore requested for shifting of Director’s office from Dimapur to Peren district to ensure better coordination and effective functioning so that the park is maintained, preserved and protected.
It also pointed out the need for the establishments of more outpost strategic points to check illicit transportation of timber and forest resources since the forest is too vast to cover by patrolling by the Forest Protection Force.
There is also allegation of political appointment of forest guards who do not belong to the area. “The State government should have recruited experts in forestry and residents of the adjoining villages who knows the ins and outs of the Park,” Meizing Gonmei, general secretary of Zeliangrong Baudi (N) stated. He also lamented that many forest guards deployed at Intangki often do not report for duty.
Official Mess
While it is the bounden duty of the Department of Forests, Ecology, Environment and Wildlife to protect the Intangki National Park, serious allegations have emerged of officials of the Forest Department working hand in glove with timber smugglers.
Forest guards deployed for patrolling inside the Park revealed their frustration on how on many instances they were ‘ordered’ by their higher ups to release trucks carrying illegal timber from Intangki National Park.
“Our duty is to protect the Park. What we don’t understand is the policy of the Forest Department directing us to release trucks laden with illegal timber we have seized…,” a forest guard on condition of anonymity revealed. He however declined to name the official (s) in question. At times, the timber consignments are released after paying fine, he said.
The forest guard further pointed out that presently, many of the illegal logging activities inside Intangki are being carried out by underground groups among others.
Need For Bio Corridors
“There is also a crucial need for the Park to develop Bio Corridors with adjacent forests including neighbouring states so that there are free passages for wildlife throughout the year,” a researcher from Nagaland University, Martemjen Jamir highlighted.
Bio corridors or wildlife corridors are basically habitats to maintain connectivity of the wildlife population through productive activities to facilitate the flow of species separated from human activities such as logging, roads or development.
“For this, experts from every field are required and aerial assessment needs to be done. Through remote sensing and GIS along with field survey, the Bio Corridors need to be digitized and implemented at ground,” Jamir pointed out.
However, Jamir remarked that most conservation strategies of the Government of India do not take into consideration the wellbeing or livelihood of the people.
“Environmentalists, conservationists and the government often look at the forest from conservation perspective only, not realizing that for the villagers it is their only source of livelihood,” Jamir stated.
Forest Dept seeks cooperation of all concerned to protect INP
Reacting to the report carried by The Morung Express that Intangki National Park has become a haven for illegal logging, the Department of Forests, Ecology, Environment and Wildlife on Wednesday admitted that illegal logging has been a serious concern at the Park.
A press statement received from the department however maintained that since inception of the Forest Protection Force in 2009, it has played a key role in the protection of the Park. For instance, the first problem confronting the Park, which was encroachment, has been done away with.
It pointed out that in spite of heavy conservation methods taken; there are some obvious loopholes in the process of conservation of wildlife and ecology of the park, with illegal logging one major concern.
To tackle this problem, the forest department has sought the cooperation of the public, NGOs, Administration, police and other likeminded individuals. It appealed to all concerned to extend their support and cooperation to strengthen the conservation efforts and to protect the Intangki National Park.
This post has been republished with permission from Morung Express You can read the first part of the story here.
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