(IN): Rangapahar Wildlife Sanctuary under threat from encroachers;

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*Rangapahar Wildlife Sanctuary under threat from encroachers; *

 

*144 CrPC clamped*

 

 

*CM calls protection & preservation of Zoological park*

 

*Dimapur, April 21: *After almost all the wildlife in the 470-hectare

Rangapahar Wildlife Sanctuary, Dimapur, having become extinct after being

gunned down by hunters for its skin and meat, the every existence of the

wildlife sanctuary itself has now become endangered with encroachers using

all means to grab land in the sanctuary.

 

 

And recognizing the threat to the Rangapahar Wildlife Sanctuary from the

encroachers, the Additional District Magistrate of Dimapur, T Mhabemo

Yanthan has clamped 144 CrPC in the Rangapahar Wildlife Sanctuary with

immediate effect. With the 144 CrPC enforced the general public is

prohibited from carrying out any construction or erecting any structure of

clearing jungles for the purpose of cultivation or holding any meeting or

gathering for any purpose within the wildlife sanctuary.

 

 

It can be recalled that in September 16, 2005, a consultative meeting of

Naga civil society and civic body organization had resolved to support the

decision of the Government to establish the wildlife sanctuary and to treat

any act of encroachment by unauthorized persons with utmost seriousness, for

which the meeting resolved to initiate action against the encroachers.

 

 

The Additional District Magistrate regretted that despite such resolutions

being adopted, there are still continued attempt by unauthorized persons to

encroach inside the sanctuary, which is disrupting the functioning of the

Government Department.

 

 

It is also likely to cause breach of peace and disturb the tranquility in

the area, the Additional District Magistrate said in the order issued today.

 

 

The Forest Department (Wildlife) officials, Magistrates and District police

have on numerous occasions in the past thwarted the attempt of the

encroachers but to no avail, the order said. The encroachers had even

mustered the courage to illegally detained officials posted in the

Zoological Park, threatened them and even physically assaulted some of the

officials thereby endangering their lives.

 

 

Meanwhile, concerned by the repeated attempts made by some unscrupulous

elements to encroach and grab land at the Zoological Park under Rangapahar

Reserve Forest in Dimapur, Nagaland chief minister, Neiphiu Rio has made a

fervent appeal to the civil societies, tribal hohos, student bodies and mass

based civil societies to come forward and contribute towards the protection

and preservation of the proposed park.

 

 

In an appeal issued today, the chief minister said the illegal action of

trying to encroach and grab land in the Zoological Park needs the urgent

attention of all concerned Nagas in order to ensure that we do not allow a

group of few individuals to do damage to the entire State.

 

 

Rio asserted that although the State Government is in a position to carry

out any form of eviction drive it did not want to take a confrontationist

approach.

 

 

" The need of the hour is for better sense to prevail so that the civil

societies will make the people understand while also assisting the

government agencies to preserve a facility that will be of benefit to the

future generations of all Nagas. The Park is not just the property of the

State Government and the Forest Department but it belongs to all Nagas, " he

said. *(Page News Service)*

 

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