Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 4
Nagaland Timber Traders’ Union (NTTU) has appealed to the chief minister to reconsider the reported decision taken by the state cabinet meeting to impose complete ban on sale of timber products outside the state other than finished products.
NTTU in a representation to the chief minister dated March 2, said as per reliable source, the state cabinet in a recent meeting decided that timber originating from the state and sold outside the state would be only in the form of finished products like furniture and that there would be complete ban on direct sale of timber in any other form such as “small size takta, batam etc.”
The representation signed by NTTU president, Kevise Sogotsu, informed that the timber traders and tree farmers are selling timber produced and planted in their own land with great difficulty as many don’t have any other option to utilize their land but to engage in tree plantation. They then sell the timber in form of “small takta and batam” both within and outside, through which they feed their families.
The union said ban on sale of “unfinished timber” would impose great hardship to those who are dependent on timber for the sustenance since many Naga people are still not well equipped or trained to take up furniture production.
Besides, NTTU pointed out that for producing finished products the timber have to undergo seasoning, which would consume lots of their time and result in incurring huge financial liabilities.
“It is our humble prayer to allow us to sell unfinished timber outside the state as we are doing till date. Moreover, the sale of big size fanta outside the state has already been banned for almost three years and now if the small size timbers are also restricted, then it will bring our business to a halt”, the representation stated.
