Dimapur, April 24 (EMN): Nagaland Community Conserved Areas Forum (NCCAF) has strongly condemned the recent spurt in rampant hunting at many locations of Nagaland amidst the lockdown despite declaring wanton killing of wildlife as illegal under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
NCCAF pointed out that though hunting has always been a part of the Naga society as an act of survival to gather food from the forest since time immemorial, the intentions of greed was never encouraged.
“Our ancestors foraged for food in quantities that was required/needed and left behind the rest as it is in order not to disturb the order of the ecosystem,” NCCAF general secretary Heirang Lungalang stated adding, the harmonious balance maintained in the ecosystem is contingent to Naga living.
NCCAF also pointed out that on account of many good practices by the villages in Nagaland on ‘sustainable hunting’ over the years, village councils have imposed certain rules and regulations on hunting during seasons and demarcated areas for hunt out of concern over dwindling number of wildlife in their respective areas.
NCCAF has, therefore, strongly condemned the rampant hunting that goes against the traditional and cultural values and principles of ‘sustainable hunting’ practiced by the ancestors.
The release also stated that NCCAF has been actively involved in advocating conservation of nature and natural resources in the community conserved areas (CCAs) in the state in collaboration with Forest department, NEPED and FES.
In order to avoid further deterioration of resources in the state, NCCAF has called upon concerned citizens and authorities to extend their solidarity and uphold the good conservation practices in the days to come.
NCCAF also urge upon the concerned department to leave no stone unturned to ensure conserving the fast disappearing rich biodiversity by way of creating more aggressive awareness amongst stakeholders. It further urged to emphasise in weaning away hunters from further exploitation and turn them into conservationists.
