Probe repeated burning of forest cover : Bodies
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 09 2023:
The Nongmaiching Laiphamlen Environment Preservation Committee and the Coordinating Body Khurai, a conglomerate of 42 civil society organizations of Imphal East district, have written to the Chief Minister seeking investigation into rampant and repeated burning of forest cover at Nongmaijing Ching in the recent weeks.
In the letter, the bodies claimed some of the villagers settling in and around the Nongmaiching Hill Forest Range are regularly burning down the reserve forest area for the purpose of poppy plantation thereby causing irreparable loss to the forest ecosystem and wildlife.
They claimed that the hill range has been burnt at least 6 times in the recent weeks.
The reserve forest was set ablaze on January 19, however it was contained and put out by the joint effort of their volunteers, a combined team of Forest Department, Fire Service and members of JFMC (Joint Forest Management Committee) .
Hardly a day after, the reserve forest was again burnt on January 21 and January 26 .
Then again, the hill range was repeatedly burnt on February 6, 7 and 8, they said.
"Such heinous crime of burning is continuing by these culprits in the reserve forest areas with threat of using firearms and ammunition despite strong objections by our volunteers and staff members of the Forest Department," said the bodies.Asking the Chief Minister to urgently take up necessary actions to protect the reserve forest area, they said the repeated and rampant burning of forest should be investigated and the culprits be booked and punished under the law of the land.
The bodies also urged the Government to disarm the villagers of the said area until the end of the dry season.