EMN
Dimapur, August 3
CIVIL organizations and student bodies are appreciative of the eviction drive undertaken by government authorities against encroachers who had settled around Nagaland Zoological Park at Rangapahar, one of the last few wildlife sanctuaries in Nagaland. A number of organizations such as Kyong Hoho, Zeliangrong Baudi, GBs’ Union of Dimapur, Green Foundation of Nagaland and DNSU issued statements expressing support to the government action. Lauding the Forest department, Zeliangrong Baudi, Nagaland has specially praised initiative of Forest Minister Y. Patton, Dimapur district administration, Chief Wildlife Warden, jawans and government officials concerned for protecting and safeguarding the wild life sanctuary of the state.
It has also appealed the State Government not to dissuade by vested interest of individual(s) but to remain cautious in preserving forest and its rich flora & fauna and extended its fullest support in defending the public property.
The Green Foundation Nagaland has also hailed the State Forest’s department, the Dimapur district administration and Dimapur Police and IR Personnel for carrying out the eviction drive at Nagaland Zoological Park on 2nd August 2013. While lauding the department for talking bold steps in evicting illegal encroachers of public property, the foundation also urged the department to secure the boundaries of NZP properly and construct protection walls or barbed wire fencing to avoid future encroachment. The foundation also urged all concerned to honour the High court rulings and also to desist from illegal encroachment of reserved areas/wildlife sanctuaries in the state.
The Foundation has also extended its appreciation to Y Patton, Minister for Forest and Environment, for taking up positive steps for conservation of wildlife and biodiversity in the state, District Planning Development Boards of Mokokchung, Wokha and Kohima for resolving to protect and preserve the flora and fauna in the state. It urged the government to frame stricter rules to prevent mass massacre of migratory birds in the state.
Also concerned over the growing incidents of human-elephant conflicts in Wokha district, it also expressed its happiness for pledging to protect these giant visitors in their jurisdiction by New Wokha village and further appealed to all all concerned to remain watchful against poachers and report poaching activities to the government authorities.
The Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) also lauded the initiative taken by the State Government, Dimapur district administration and Forest department in evicting the encroachers who had occupied the vicinity of Zoological Park, Rangapahar Dimapur, on August 2.
Terming the eviction as a bold step undertaken to safeguard the common property, the DNSU has appealed all citizens to have the ‘sense of responsibility” in preserving the Zoological Park, which had been recognized as one of the ‘Model Zoos” by the Central Zoo Authority.
Describing the Zoological Park, as a pride and prestige of the State, it has appealed all concerned to desist from encroaching the Park any more, according to a release issued by DNSU president K. Mhachio Lotha and general secretary Kambuiga Rongmei.
The Kyong Hoho is happy that the district authorities of Dimapur, the Forest department and Dimapur police authorities for evicting encroachers from the Rangapahar Wildlife Sanctuary yesterday, August 3 near Dimapur city. The apex Kyong organization expressed appreciation to the Forest Department, Dimapur Police and the IRB (Mahila) in a message received here today.
The Kyong Hoho has extended its support to the government and enforcement agencies in safeguarding the public land, one of the few reserved lands for Nagaland’s endangered wildlife population. “The Kyong Hoho also express its solidarity and support to the Forest Department, government of Nagaland in taking any stringent and appropriate measures to protect and safeguard the park and appeal to all bona fide citizen to come forward and extend support and co-operation to the concerned authorities in preserving and conserving the park for our future posterity,” a note received here from Michael Yanthan, general secretary stated today.
The GBs’ Union of Dimapur also echoed the Kyong Hoho’s statement against encroachers and the need for protecting public property.
The GB’s expressed “heartfelt appreciation” to the enforcement authorities for “taking right action fearlessly.” “The members of Dimapur GBs union assert that the union has been and shall always (stand) behind the district administration in carrying out any administrative action against those illegal encroachers who try to grab public property as in the case of present situation,” the union said in a press release received here today.
The GBs union also supported the press statements issued by the Naga Hoho, the Naga Council of Dimapur and the Dimapur Naga Students’ Union in regard to the eviction.
The union has appealed to the state government to carry out “intensive development” of the zoological park.
