Apropos the news item titled ‘Eviction at Intanki: NPF government violated all norms says Inavi village’ in Nagaland Post dated 23rd February 2012 and letters from one Shri Honito Shohe, Head GB, Honito village in Morung Express dated 26th February 2012 and Nagaland Post dated 27th February 2012, certain misinformation is being spread with a mischievous motive. In view of this, the following clarifications are being given with regard to the eviction carried out in the Intanki National Park on 21st February 2012.
2. The Hon’ble Guwahati High Court in its judgment dated 24th August 2011 has directed the encroachers i.e. Inavi/ United Naga group and its offshoots to voluntarily vacate the encroached area peacefully by 31st December 2011. It has further directed that in case the encroachers do not vacate by this date, the representatives of the encroachers i.e. Honito Yeptho, Hevito and others are liable to pay compensation @ Rs. 5 lakh per hectare per month. The court has also stated in the judgment that the State of Nagaland is fully entitled to evict them there from and to ensure that the encroachers do not continue with their encroachment in the Intanki National Park.
3. Mr. Inavi has alleged that a Special Leave Petition is yet to be listed in the Supreme Court, and therefore the eviction is unconstitutional. It is clarified that no order/directive has been received from the Supreme Court by the Government restraining from evicting the encroachers. Pendency to list is no legal ground to stop eviction proceedings. In fact, on the contrary, the High Court directives are very clear for carrying out the eviction and the Government is answerable to the Hon’ble Court for any inaction with regard to its directives.
4. Accordingly, the department had issued notices, dated 2nd January 2012 and 3rd February 2012, to the encroachers to comply with the Hon’ble High Court’s directives. The encroachers i.e. Inavi and Honito group did not vacate the occupied land and also did not deposit the compensation amount as fixed by the High Court. Therefore, in compliance with the high court directives and according to section 34(4) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, eviction was carried out on 21st February 2012 from 0930 A.M. till 0400 P.M.
5. The eviction was carried out jointly by the Forest department personnel with security support from the Nagaland Armed Police (India Reserve Battalion). There were no civilian or NGOs involved in the eviction. The statement that TPO volunteers were present and participated in the eviction is totally false, baseless and unfounded.
6. On the day of eviction, before starting the eviction, the encroachers were given adequate time to remove their belongings. It was also announced by P.A. system to the encroachers to remove their belongings. While some of the occupants fled away, others came out voluntarily and were deported from the site under police custody/protection in a bus. There was no force used against any of the encroachers, nobody was beaten up and no firing took place. The allegations made to this effect are patently false. The allegation made by Shri. Honito that certain livestock and cash was stolen from the village are also patently false as adequate opportunity was given to the encroachers to remove their belongings. Further, the statement made that ‘more than 200 men and women were tortured and dead’ during evictions carried out between 1993 to 2012 is not true.
7. It may be emphasized here that the eviction has been carried out in public interest, as the Intanki National Park is the only such common resource available to the Naga people for preserving its unique biodiversity and wildlife, for posterity. Support from all communities and NGOs is necessary to ensure that we are able to preserve and successfully develop this important asset of the State.
(Dr. C.L. Goel)
PCCF, Nagaland
