DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 22 (MExN): The Office of the Divisional Forest Officer, Dimapur has issued a clarification with regard to what it termed as “the malicious and defamatory press release issued by the Nagaland Timber Traders’ Union (NTTU),” which appeared in local dailies on Thursday. The NTTU statement had alleged malpractice in allotment of wagons by the Nagaland Forest Minister and the Dimapur DFO. In response, the DFO, Kocha Meyase, who is also the conservator of Forest (Wildlife), clarified that the Wagons are allotted by the department as per guidelines of the SIT constituted by the Supreme Court.
He informed that under the guidelines farmers having registration under the Nagaland Tree Felling Regulation 2002 and registered transporter and tree farmers are considered for allotment of wagon, provided, they clear all state government dues. He added that registered transporters and tree farmers are considered for wagon allotment when their timber is converted from an HPC Cleared Unit; thereafter, screening and physical verification of the converted timber in the HPC Unit is done for final allotment of wagon. “As such, without confirming to the guidelines, the question of depriving the Naga tree farmers and plantation owners of their rights does not arise,” it stated. It further termed allegations that the DFO had handed over collected money to the Forest Minister as “false, defamatory and malicious.” It added that the authorization for allotment of wagon given to the DFO Dimapur was done by the Government, a month after the alleged transaction of money. The note then informed that the department had earlier allotted some wagons to some members of the NTTU. However, according to the note, the allottees failed to meet the required criteria, “thereby resulting in lapse of such allotted Wagons and causing a loss to government revenue.” It therefore urged any aggrieved party/parties to approach the DFO, Dimapur during office hours “so as to clarify the matter before going to the press.”
