Dimapur, October 5 (MExN): The Government of Nagaland is criticized for being a “nervous spectator” to the widespread encroachment and ‘transplanted’ population inside Intangki Reserve Forest. The GPRN/NSCN said in a note today that in the past ten years, “the trend of bringing in new families each year from Naga-inhabited areas in Manipur and planting them in the Intanki reserve forest has become the biggest threat” to the forest.
The GPRN/NSCN claimed that encroachments ‘by tribes from Nagaland state is paltry compared to the vigorous colonies and establishments taking place by transplanted Nagas from other states in many pockets of the Intanki reserve forest.’ Yet, all evictions are done only to settlers from Nagaland state, the organization said in its MIP note.
“The Nagaland state government is a nervous spectator watching the sinister drama taking place at Intanki reserve forest. It is high time for tribal hohos in the state of Nagaland, NGOs and civil societies, student bodies, GBs etc. to propose a spot verification in the Intanki reserve forest because Intanki is a national reserve forest and not a rehabilitation area,” the note said.
The MIP referred to a number of government orders. On May 7 1923, a huge chunk of Intanki forest of Naga Hills was transferred to North Cachar Hills and only an area of 44, 800 acres was named Intanki Forest, Naga Hills District with prescribed boundaries. On July 18, 1927, the Governor in council of Assam declared and added an area of 5120 acres to Intanki forest from the Degar Mouza.
In 1975, the Governor of Nagaland declared the area of 20,202 acres as a wildlife sanctuary to be called as Intanki Wildlife Sanctuary in the then-district of Kohima, with effect from April 1, 1975. On March 3, 1993, the Governor of Nagaland declared Intanki Wildlife as ‘Intanki National Park’. The MIP stated that “while the last two points may have been done by the Indian state machinery, the commonality of purpose is apparent.”
The GPRN/NSCN “does not recognize any human habitation/settlement beyond the Monglomukh River because the forest and wildlife of Intanki is the pride and inheritance of all Nagas and any claim to it in part or whole by any individual or group is out rightly rejected today or tomorrow.”
