Tree plantation turns ugly, 8 detained
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, June 05 2022: A scuffle reportedly occurred after a stand-off went wild between a large number of people who went for a tree plantation drive at Nongmaiching Reserve Forest and the local populace of Langmaiching area.

In connection with the incident, eight persons including three women and aged village chief of Nong-maipal village, Jangkhosat Haokip (80) were reportedly detained by police.

A tree plantation drive was organized by the Central Forest Division, Forest Department under a people's participatory initiative which kicked off today and the drive is supposed to culminate on June 15 at Nongmaiching Reserve Forest and Khamenlok Gwaltabi Reserve Forest.

According to Nongmaipal's villagers, hundreds of people along with forest officials and the police arrived at the village at around 8 am for the plantation drive and the local populace confronted them as they were not informed and consulted about the plantation drive.

"We told the DFO and those coming for the plantation drive clearly that we are not against the plantation drive but we are against planting saplings without the knowledge and consent of the village chiefs while conveying our willingness to carry out the drive jointly with participation of the local populace after due consultation with the village chiefs of the area", one of the villagers said.

"The DFO then requested us to let them go ahead with the plantation today with our participation as today is the World Environment Day", he added.

He continued that considering the appeal of the DFO and the importance of the World Environment Day, the local villagers decided to carry out the plantation drive despite being Sunday, which is also a significant Pentecost Day for the Christian community.

However, a stand-off ensued when a banner inscribed with "Reserve Forest" was hung up at the plantation site by some people who came for the plantation drive, he added.

Notably, the site where the banner was put up and saplings were planted is within reserve forest area, said one official.

He said that the DFO then agreed to remove the banner.

But those people who came for the plantation drive allegedly started using abusive and derogatory words which turned the stand-off between the two parties wild and some of the locals pulled down the banner out of anger and the scuffle broke out which lasted till noon.

It was also reported that many of them on both sides got minor injuries during the scuffle.

The villagers also questioned the motive of those who came for the plantation drive as to why they created such an unpleasant situation when the DFO put humble efforts to solve the problem amicably.

They also appealed to the State Government to release the detained villagers including the aged village chief of Nongmaipal without any condition to strengthen the faith of the people.

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