DIMAPUR, AUGUST 14 (MExN): The Rengma Hoho has vehemently opposed the implementation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, along with its recent Amendment Act, 2023, within the state. The Rengma Hoho, in a letter to the Chief Secretary, cited concerns over the infringement of Nagaland's special provisions granted under Article 371 (A) of the Indian Constitution.
The Rengma Hoho questioned whether the draft bill of the original Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, was presented to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly for consideration, and whether a resolution was adopted to apply this Central Act within the state.
The central concern raised by the Rengma Hoho revolved around the preservation of Nagaland's land rights, an essential facet of the state's unique landholding system. It argued that the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and its Amendment Act, 2023, infringes upon the landownership structure by mandating forest clearance or requiring central government approval without obtaining the consent of the landowners, which it stated is a direct violation of Article 371(A).
The Rengma Hoho's contended that enforcing the Central Acts without the explicit consent of the Nagaland State Legislative Assembly not only infringes upon Article 371(A) but also poses a threat to the land rights of the people, protected by traditional norms and practices. This stance is consistent with their call for the state government to formulate the Nagaland Forest (Conservation) Act in harmony with the Nagaland (Ownership and Transfer of Land and its Resources) Act, 1990.
In light of these concerns, the Rengma Hoho called for a clear resolution by the Nagaland State Government to reject the implementation of both the original Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and its recent Amendment Act, 2023, within the state. Such a resolution, they believed, would safeguard the special provisions granted to Nagaland under Article 371(A) and ensure that any land-related legislation is congruent with the state's unique landownership structure.
