World Environment Day: Celebrating Nagaland’s precious biodiversity

Our Reporter

Dimapur, June 5 (EMN): Marking World Environment Day, societies, institutions, organisations and government departments from across Nagaland observed the occasion on June 5 by taking up various activities like tree plantation and awareness programmes, in an attempt to conserve biodiversity which has become an existential concern.

The department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, government of Nagaland, celebrated World Environment Day 2020 on the theme “Celebrate Biodiversity” via a video conference, which was attended by minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Law & Justice CM Chang and officers from the department.

Chang stated that the theme for this year is very appropriate and relevant in the state’s context as Nagaland has very rich biodiversity and is part of the Indo-Burma biological hotspot, according to an update received here. He added “that while God has blessed the state with rich biodiversity, pressure from human activities and increasing population is making the whole environment unsustainable and said that environmental damage should be minimised and mitigated with sensitisation, enforcement and restoration”. 

The minister said that many species are becoming extinct due to pollution caused by anthropogenic activities and global climate change; that excessive interference in the surrounding ecosystems is affecting health and leave lasting negative effects on human future, causing various illnesses including the current Covid-19 pandemic.

In this context, the minister stated that projects such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) assisted Nagaland Forest Management Project and the Community Conservation project of KfW, will go a long way in restoring the biodiversity of the state and stressed on the participation of common villagers – the real custodians of the richest biodiversity areas.

He concluded by encouraging everyone to plant as many trees as possible and to plant at least one tree in all special occasions. He also distributed two wheelers to Field Management Unit under Kohima District and Project Management Unit of NFMP besides flagging off the transportation of seedlings to be presented to the chief minister, cabinet ministers and advisors.

Divisional forest officers from various districts also briefed the activities undertaken in their respective regions, during the occasion.

Dimapur: Truckload of difference

The Ruzaphema Community Conserved Area (CCA) Dimapur under Nagaland Community Conservation Area Forum (NCCAF) in collaboration with Nagaland Empowerment of People through Economic Development (NEPED) observed the day with a difference by donating a truckload of wild vegetables to the office of the deputy commissioner, Dimapur. The occasion was celebrated with the “Time for Nature” at the NEPED office, Dimapur, on June 5.

Around 3000 bundles of wild vegetables “mostly collected by the village womenfolk” of Ruzaphema village was donated the Dimapur district administration.

On the occasion, Additional Deputy Commissioner V Lovitoly Sema acknowledged the Ruzaphema CCA and NEPED team for the gesture, saying that the state government could not organise any event to celebrate the event due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. While thanking Ruzaphema CCA for the support, she said the government, organisations and individuals are all playing their part to tackle the current situation.

Sema urged the people to be involved in cultivation and return to agriculture practise as they used to do before for self reliance, so that they would stop depending on other states. She asserted that CCA would help in the long run and encouraged the Ruzaphema village to continue to preserve the environment for the betterment of all.

She added that the donated the fresh vegetables would be distributed to the caterers for the quarantine centres.

While speaking on the occasion, Chairman of Ruzaphema CCA Adi Sesa informed that the village decided to contribute something during these difficult times by collecting wild vegetables.

Kohima: Wild blessing

Coinciding with the World Environment Day, the Nagaland Empowerment of People through Economic Develop (NEPED) Kohima, in collaboration with the Nagaland Community Conservation Area Forum (NCCAF) donated wild vegetables to the Kohima District Administration on June 5. This was informed by DIPR in an update on Friday.

The team leader of NEPED and commissioner & secretary, K Libanthung Lotha, said that the donation was to showcase the important role played by the community having the Community Conservation Areas (CCAs) across Nagaland. 

Focusing on the role played by nature in providing essential infrastructure that supports life on earth and human development, Lotha said: “Despite all benefits that our nature gives us, we still mistreat and misuse it too. That is why we need to observed it in a befitting manner to create awareness among all of us.”

“When we destroy biodiversity, we destroy the system that supports human life,” he said, adding that the CCA across Nagaland cannot be underscored of the important role that the communities had played and the hardships and also the difficulties that they face, not only from outside, but even from within.

“We are intimately interconnected with nature. If we do not take care of nature, for all the bountiful that it provides, we cannot and will not be able to take care of our mother Earth,” he added.

Mokokchung: Tree adoption

The Mokokchung Forest department celebrated World Environment Day on June 5 on the “Restoring forest, conservation and livelihood” with an initiative to “Adopt a tree”, at the district Forest office premises.

Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung, Limawabang Jamir told the gathering that “we need individual and community participation to conserve our environment in a way to create an equilibrium which will enable nature to restore back the human exploitations on environment”.

Lauding the initiative “To adopt a tree” taken up by the Forest department, he said the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago and the second best time is today. Let us, therefore, pledge ourselves to contribute to nature in our own small ways, he urged.

Superintendent of Police Mokokchung Vishal and Chairman Marepkong ward also spoke on the occasion and stressed on the need to conserve environment in the event.

The Forest department distributed plant saplings to all the Heads of Offices (HoDs) under Mokokchung district, to be planted and adopted by the HoDs.

Wokha: Everybody’s responsibility

Wokha celebrated World Environment day at DC’s Public Park on Friday and it was organised by Wokha Forest Division and Doyang Plantation Division, according to an update from DIPR.

Deputy Commissioner of Wokha Orenthung Lotha, while speaking on the occasion, said it is very encouraging to see young people taking active part during such events and urged them to be the agents of change in spreading awareness about the need to preserve and conserve environment.

He added that “it is not only the domain of the Forest department alone in preserving our forest but it is the responsibility of everyone” and called for community participation in preserving the forest. Stating that even animals are coming closer to human habitation due to the depletion of environment, he stated that “it is time for us to give utmost care in preserving our environment for the betterment of our future generation”.

Superintended of Police, Wokha, Imtitoshi said Nagaland forest is very rich with so many varieties of plants and vegetation which are not found in other parts of the country, but lamented that such plants are disappearing rapidly due to deforestation.

The function ended with planting of trees at the DC’s public park.

Kiphire: Vanishing beauty

Kiphire Town Council (KTC) along with various NGOs and ward chairman in collaboration with the district administration celebrated World Environment Day at Deluxe Point Kiphire on Friday, informed an update from DIPR.

Deputy Commissioner of Kiphire Sarita Yadav said during the occasion that Nagaland is gifted with so many things like beautiful landscape, water, river, forest etc. “but we are destroying all the beauty of the nature by cutting down more and more trees and plants which leads to landslide and soil erosion”.

Stating that “we never know what is going to happen in days to come”, she urged the leaders to plant more trees for the next generation. She also mentioned that ‘the locust attacks across Africa and India and the coronavirus pandemic, all these calamities are a reminder that human health is linked to the planet’s health’.

Trees were also planted along the road side within the town of Kiphire during the occasion.

Zunheboto: Plantation time

Zunheboto marked World Environment Day by taking up tree plantation drive in respective offices, colonies and churches etc. on Friday, according to an update from DIPR.

Chaired by EAC Satakha, Saku Chang, the occasion was celebrated at Satakha with TL Kiusumong Tikhir, ADC, delivering the keynote address. Heads of Offices, GBs and other stakeholders also attended the programme.

Longleng: Green Mission

Amid battle against the Covid-19, the Phom Baptist Christian Association (PBCA), Longleng, observed the occasion by taking up its annual activity — Green Mission Day – wherein the PBCA volunteers and various organisations undertake “massive plantation drive in the district”.

In his message to the people, the executive secretary of PBCA, Tialemba Phom, called upon all the responsible citizens to protect, safe and care for mother nature and the environment from destruction. He lauded the DFO Longleng Biezo Soukhrie and his staff for providing saplings towards PBCA’s Green Mission initiative. Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK), Longleng along with district administration and district task force BBBP also initiated a mission called “Tree For Daughters ” to mark World Environment Day.

Under this mission, the MSK will plant trees every month in every ward of Longleng town to celebrate the birth of girl child starting from June 5, informed an update from DIPR.

District Administration Longleng led by Deputy Commissioner and Buranamsang Students’ Union in collaboration with Namsang EAC circle under Tamlu sub-division also observed the occasion by planting trees. The District Executive Force (DEF) Longleng and Yingli College also observed the day planting trees.

Noklak: Biodiversity march

The 45 Assam Rifles, Noklak A Coy organised World Environment Day at Noklak town on the theme ‘Conserve Biodiversity’, informed an update from DIPR.

Stating that the region has rich biodiversity, Major Anuj Mahant urged the people to continue conserving the biodiversity and plant trees. He also lauded Khiamniungan Menyiu Hoikam (KMH), Adora Children home and all the well-wishers for participating and making the event a remarkable and successful one.

It was informed that tree plantation drive was carried out with some participants while maintaining social distancing in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. Mahant also gave away gifts to all the participants from Adora Children home during the programme held at Assam Rifles camp Noklak.

Earlier in the day, the participants took a march in the main town with banners to create awareness on Environment Day. More than hundred saplings of pines and other ornamental trees were planted in the main town and Assam Rifles camp area, the update stated.

Tuensang: Essaying nature

District Administration of Tuensang and Mahila Shakti Kendra, District Level Centre for Women commemorated World Environment Day by conducting online essay writing competition under the aegis of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.

An update informed that essay writing competition was conducted in all quarantine centres under Tuensang district on the topic: “Importance of Biodiversity Conservation”. It went on to inform that a district-level essay competition was also held for class 9 and 10 students on the topic “Time for Nature”.

The best three entries were awarded along with five consolation prizes for competition in both categories, it added.