Dimapur, June 17 (MExN): The office of the Old Jalukie village council together with Jalukie Pumling Nko (Traditional Body) and Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) and all citizens of Old Jalukie, unanimously declares its forest area around the village as “Community Biodiversity Reserve” on June 16, 2012.
A press note issued by the Village Council Old Jalukie village Peren stated that the Biodiversity Reserve will presently encompass an area of 208 hectare, with scope of area addition in future and will be demarcated by the following boundary features viz. North: Namkwet tekwa –Tesotiapi-Keleireu –Nmungdui-Jalukie/Peren road, South: Heramrebitu - Mbureu cwak -Mbureu - Jalukie/Peren Old road, East: Keleilojang - Keleireu cwak, West: Jalukie/Peren Old road - Jubilee road - Namkwet tekwa, within which there will be total ban on hunting and trapping of wildlife, jhum cultivation, forest fires, green felling, stone quarrying, extraction of non-timber forest produce like pebbles and sand, bamboo, medicinal herbs, orchid, honey, organic humus, vegetable, fruits, flowers and seeds of plants, underground minerals and any other forest resources, except those permissible under strict regulation by the Joint Forest Management committee. Any rights or claims whatsoever within the demarcated area will not be entertained and will forego for the noble cause of biodiversity conservation.
The village council in the note also stated that the same area was previously declared as a community reserve at village level as early as 1986 and in the process of its conservation, the community had phased through periods of dilemma and anticipation, toil and deprivation, oblivion and frustration and finally inspiration and motivation with the timely intervention of Forest Department in 2011-12 under TFC scheme, which had facilitated towards signing of an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the village and Forest department and has enabled the long cherished dream of the villagers to see the light of day.
The village council in the note also expressed appreciation to Samuel Changkija IFS, DFO Peren Division and department of Forest, Environment, Ecology and Wildlife in general, for recognizing the contribution and dignity of the community towards biodiversity conservation by way of officially declaring the village forest as “Community Biodiversity Reserve” and providing incentives to the village under TFC 2011-12, under which the area will be managed as per Community Management Plan. Since its implementation in 2011, the area had been GPS surveyed, had appointed four local forest guards with monthly allowance of Rs. 2000/- per head, who regularly patrol the area to control illegal activities and the most significant achievement which is also one of the first in the State, is the supply of LPG connection to all households totaling 37 nos. as alternative energy source to fuelwood requirement and many more initiatives in plan including increasing forest cover, alternative livelihood options, awareness etc.
The village council also assures the State Government of its utmost sincerity in conserving the declared area in letter and spirit and at the same time called upon the local community, surrounding villagers and all citizens of the State for their co-operation and participation towards this end. May the success story of the Old Jalukie community reserve be an inspiration and motivation for other villages in the state which have better forest areas, to declare more community reserves and help contribute towards attaining natural abundance in perpetuity.
