PCCF sets record straight on Nongmaiching Reserved Forest
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 07 2022: Taking serious note of the objection raised by some people against tree plantation drives and joint survey conducted by the Forest Department and Revenue Department including the incident which took place at Ishing Chaibi area of Nongmaiching reserved forest on the World Environment Day (June 5), PCCF and HoFF Dr AK Joshi has set the record straight.

Speaking to media persons at his Sanjenthong office today, Dr Joshi said that the initial notification under Section 4 of the IFA, 1927 for declaration of Nongmaiching reserved forest covering 74.7 sq Km was issued on 16th February, 1966.On the same day, the Forest Settlement Officer (FSO) was also appointed for determination and settlement of the rights of villagers as provided under Chapter-ll of the Act.

Once the initial notification under Section 4 was issued, accrual of fresh rights is not allowed.

The FSO issued proclamation under Section 6 of the Act inviting claims and objections on 7th July, 1966.In response, 20 claims including one from Yamkhokhai, chief of Nongmaipal village were received by the FSO, the PCCF said.

After settling the claims and objections by the FSO, the final notification of Nongmaiching RF covering 67 sq Km was issued under section 20 of the IFA, 1927 on 4th January, 1990 .

An area of 7.07 sq Km was set aside for all the villages lying inside the notified Nongmaiching RF.

The said notification was published in the State Gazette on 17th January, 1990 .

Under Para No.4 (x) of the final notification of the Reserved Forest, an area covered by one-fourth mile radius i.e.125.44 acres was set aside in favour of Yamkhokhai, chief of Nongmaipal village, who is the father of the present village chief Jankhoshat Haokip, Dr Joshi said.

However, Nongmaipal village has shifted two times from the area originally set aside in 1985 and 1995 and finally settled at the present site at the foothill of the reserved forest which is in violation of Acts and Rules, he said.

He said that on 18th July, 2017, a combined team of Forest and Police arrested seven persons for stone mining at Chaithabi area and seized three trucks.

On further investigation, it was found that the mining was carried out on a lease deed given by village chief Jankhoshat Haokip on payment of Rs 40,000 for a period from Phairel 2014 to Inga 2015.Further, he collected Rs 20,000 for extension of the lease.

Jankhoshat Haokip was arrested and a case was filed in the Court of CJM, Imphal East.

15 accused persons were convicted by the Court and the case against two persons including the village chief is pending in the same Court.

On 21st March, 2018, the village chief filed a case in the Court of the Civil Judge (Senior Division), Senapati praying for declaration as owner of a suit land with schedule of boundaries, totally different from the area set aside earlier.

Further, he also prayed to allow mining of stone from that area.

The DFO, Central filed the para-wise reply but the petitioner village chief failed to pursue and appear before the Court for more than two years.

The Court finally dismissed the suit on 17th December, 2021, the PCCF said.

He said all forests including reserved forest and protected forest are for conservation of biodiversity, to maintain ecological balance, improve air quality, combat climate change, sustain livelihood, conserve water, preserve source of medicine, protect soil, support wildlife, reduce drought and prevent soil erosion, pollution and so on.

He then appealed to all concerned to cooperate with the Department in conservation and development of forest and wildlife.

He added that the Forest Department has already launched an initiative to plant 75 lakh seedlings in the forest areas as well as outside forest lands from June 5 to August 31 this year with the involvement of various CSOs, voluntary agencies, youth, students and citizens of the State.

Chief Conservator of Forests L Joykumar said that forests are assets of all the people.

Conservation of forests, irrespective of whether they are reserved, protected or unclassified, is not the sole duty of Forest Department.

It is the collectively responsibility of all the citizens, he said.

Reserved forests and protested forests are properties of the State which means they are assets of the people, Joykumar said.

He said that more than 1000 joint forest management committees have been constituted so far with the primary objective of ensuring local people's participation in protecting forests areas and exploitation of forest resources in sustainable manner.

At the same time, villagers should abide by the forest Acts and Rules, the CCF said.

It is illegal to encroach, burn trees and construct houses within reserved forests and protected forests.

The CCF said that forest areas including dense forests rose in some districts between 2019 and 2021 .

However, DFO Central RK Amarjit said that the loss of forest areas in Manipur as detected in the biennial assessment is quite high.

But it has not reached the alarming stage for 75 per cent of the State's total geographical area is still covered by forest, he said.

Yet, there is an urgent need to check the current rate of loss of forest areas, Amarjit said.

The State lost 499 sq Km of forest areas in 2015-17, he said.

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