‘Climate Change, forest, wildlife conservation not foreign problems’

Kohima, June 7(EMN): Marking World Environment Day, a youth organisation from Kohima village in Kohima district released a number of birds from a Mini Zoo at Gasie, below the GREF camp in the capital town on Wednesday.
Anti-corruption activist Khekiye K Sema spoke at the Tsütuonuomia Youth Organisation event. The former government official talked about the importance of preserving the environment and wildlife to ensure ecological balance.
Talking about the importance of Global Warming also, he said that the Naga people do not understand the global impact of such issues nor have they realized how serious environmental problems are becoming a part of even the Nagas’ life. The entire universe will be in real serious trouble within the span of next 100 years or so, he said.
“Man carelessness and greed have been a part of everything that has been happening around the world,” said KK Sema, a former commissioner.
Sema explained that the Naga people think issues such as Global Warming to be problems of other countries–issues perceived to be too remote to be applicable to states such as Nagaland. They have failed to realize that the environmental and climatic changes taking place in the universe will in one way or the other impact the Naga community as well.
“We have already begun to see the changes of the climate changes. The monsoon that used to come on a normal time, some year ago we had monsoon even as late as August. The regular life of our rural population is getting impacted because the sowing season is being put out of gear and the harvest is out of gear.”
“Little thing like this in our little environment has become eminent, it is becoming visible and the carelessness in which we destroy our surrounding so carelessly in different ways,” said Sema.
Further, he mentioned that the Naga people have failed to realize that the forest ‘we have are a very serious part of the ecological balance that God created along with the animals.’
Lauding the owner of the mini Zoo, he said “Everything begins small; it is the vision and commitment that propel us the bigger thing in life.” The social activist appreciated the owner noting that there could be a person who volunteered to preserve wildlife in whatever personal capacity he could muster.
Also, he lamented how animals were treated the Kohima Zoo back in 1990: due to lack of funds, the animals were not given proper food and were not able to survive. He expressed grave concern about the plight of Nagaland’s State Bird, the Hornbill. He said that birds are already disappearing from the forests of the state. He has called upon the state’s forest authorities to exert more efforts to conserve wildlife.
Seeking the attention of the government, K K Sema maintained that the state should step forward to assist. He requested that the government help private entrepreneurs realize their dreams ‘more meaningfully’ so that the benefit of whatever they are doing receive ‘blessing for the people and the community.’ “We tend to kill and eat everything that moves but it is time to be selective and not be rampant in doing things that are totally careless; and do some preservation,” he said.
More than 10 wild pigeons were set free by members of T Khel and KK Sema during the event.
The proprietor of the facility, Rüvuotuo Belho said to have started the mini zoo in 2004. This year, the facility completes 13 years of existence. He said there were more than 30 species of birds and animals such as the deer, porcupine, eagle owl, great barbet, and the hornbill etc., in the zoo.
The mini zoo is open to visitors every Saturday and Sunday with Rs.20 as entry fee per person.