Dimapur, June 22 (MExN): The Government of Nagaland is understood to be weighing options whether or not to find a place to settle for the encroachers evicted recently from Intangki National Park in Peren district. The government has sought quite a good number of answers from the hitherto “Inavi village” or “Hevito village” leaders; once the answers satisfy the government’s queries the State would be ‘considering’ the request of the evicted persons for relocation and rehabilitation, says a letter from the government received here today.
The department of Land Revenue issued a copy of a letter addressed to the leader of “Inavi/Hevito village” in response to what the government said is the evicted community’s representation for “alternative relocation” and “rehabilitation of “Inavi/Hevito village.” The letter was appended by Chief Secretary of Nagaland Lalthara.
The State government posed an exhaustive set of questions for the group to respond and clarify. The questions concerned with the claims of the evicted people being ‘forest-dwelling tribes’ in Intangki forest, where the claimed “original” forest they claimed to have settled, whether they have an “original” village before they settled in the area; the State also queried about the establishment and the constant change of the “village” names of “Inavi” or “Hevito” or ‘united Naga village’ as such; proof that the government gave consent to the “Inavi” people to establish a village in the area, and such.
A significant query that the State government asked the leader of the group was the claim that “Inavi/ Hevito village” was occupying “more than 1, 000 acres of land.” and that they request “a suitable place of about 1000 acres for rehabilitation of the villagers.”
In that regard, the government has asked whether the “1000 acres of land occupied by you was purely within the Intanki reserve forest or not. It not, where was it located? The portions within and outside the Intangki Reserve Forest may be indicated.”
“Do you have any idea, or any preferred area, where or suitable nearby area measuring 1000 acres may be considered for rehabilitation of the affected villages, as prayed for by you?” The government asked. “Can you indicate the names of the householders and the names of their respective family members, for whom the alternative land of 1000 acres is being applied from the State government?”
On receiving the answers and clarifications, the government said, the matter would be taken forward for considering a decision.
