Heibok Ching declared Reserved Forest
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR

Imphal, October 24 2024: In a move to conserve the environment and biodiversity, government of Manipur has declared the sacred Heibok Ching (Hillock), located at Langthabal in Imphal West district, as a Reserved Forest under Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 .

Briefing the media at the DIPR auditorium here on Thursday, following a one-hour Cabinet meeting held earlier in the day at the CM's Secretariat, Health & Family Welfare and IPR minister and government spokesperson Dr Sapam Ranjan Singh said as Heibok Ching is revered for its natural beauty and biodiversity the government declared it as a Reserved Forest recognising the need to protect the hillock.

The government also aims to preserve the unique landscape and ecological value of the hillock, he informed, adding that the Cabinet has also decided to conduct surveys of the molehills scattered across the valley districts, many of which have been deprived of their forest cover due to deforestation and excavation.

The cabinet also decided that there will be a survey, following which each molehill would be reviewed and a decision made to categorise them as either Reserved or Protected Forests, he maintained.

The minister noted that Heibok Ching was previously designated as a revenue village under the name "68-Heibok Ching" in a gazette notification issued on December 2, 2014, as per Section 2(w) of the Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reforms Act, 1960 .

This gazette will now be amended to reflect its new status as a Reserved Forest, he added.

Dr Ranjan further confided about the cabinet approving the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (8th Amendment) Ordinance, 2024 in sync with the decisions taken during the GST Council meetings in July and September, mandating all the states to follow the national guidelines set by the GST Council.

Since the state assembly is not currently in session, the cabinet has also approved the ordinance to implement the necessary changes, he stated.

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