Chandel bodies oppose posting of non-local DFO
Source: Chronicle News Service
Kakching, February 20 2024:
The Unique Business Association, Chandel (UBAC), and Sulam Business Association (SBA), Chandel have appealed to the government not to depute non-local as the Divisional Forest Officer, Chandel.
In a joint statement, the two business bodies said that size of Chandel district's 2,100 sq km covers 9.4 percent of state's total geographical area.
The district has the second largest forests area covering 86.43 percent, next to Tamenglong district with 90 percent of the population economically underprivileged depending on forest products and other agricultural activities for sustenance.
Due to poor forest management, the district lost 43.65 sq km of rich forests during the period from 2019 to 2021, the joint statement said.
According to bodies, non-local forest officers posted in Chandel have communication gap with local people mainly due to language barrier thereby creating problems in forest management and other related activities.
The same was proven in the past when two non-locals were posted as Divisional Forest Officers, Chandel.
During that period, people and CSOs of the district were compelled to organise many bandhs and blockades to send the forest officers back, the joint statement pointed out, while appealing to authorities concerned to cancel posting of non-local officer as DFO Chandel.
The two associations also warned of launching different forms of agitations if the government fails to honour their demands.