Committee opposes Zeilad wildlife sanctuary plan
Source: Chronicle News Service

Tamenglong, September 08 2022: Zeilad Wildlife Sanctuary Affected Villages Committee on Thursday raised objection to the declaration of the Zeilad Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamenglong district, which it said, was done without following procedures established by law.

Zeilad Wildlife Sanctuary Affected Villages Committee convenor Gaikhangkhuan Kamei and secretary RD Loveson stated that the state government had issued a notification on April 24, 1997 covering over an area of 21.00 square kilo metres as Zeilad Wildlife Sanctuary and the district collector of Tamenglong issued another notification on October 22, 1997 thereby declaring Zeilad Wild Life Sanctuary.

However, the said notifications were not published or made known to the general public, main ly to the affected villagers, they added.

The two pointed out that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change served a notification on September 22, 2015, inviting objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be affected within the period of 60 days from the date on which copies of the Gazette containing the Said notification were made available to the public.

Again the same was not made known to the general public or the affected villagers.

The Committee then said that the declaration of Zeilad Wildlife Sanctuary was made in clear violation of the provisions for declaration of sanctuary under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.Speaking to this correspondent, village elder Napangai Kamei contended that the proposed Zeilad Wildlife Sanctuary is not in the interest of the villages as they were not given prior information and awareness.

The affected villagers will not accept this wildlife sanctuary, he added.

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