It was not a surprise when the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had revealed that Nagaland lost a total of 235 sq km forest cover in two years, as per the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021. In terms of forest cover as percentage of total geographical area, the top five States are Mizoram (84.53%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%), Meghalaya (76.00%), Manipur (74.34%) and Nagaland (73.90%). Arunachal Pradesh lost the maximum forest cover of 257 sq km, Meghalaya lost 249 sq km, Mizoram 186 sq km, Meghalaya 73 sq km, Assam 15 sq km, Tripura 4 sq km and Sikkim lost one square kilometre forest cover. Due to rapid population growth and migration, fresh forest areas were felled and cleared for shifting agriculture, timber, firewood and settlements in Nagaland. The rate of deforestation is alarmingly high in unprotected community forests due to logging, shifting cultivation, jhum and heavy consumption of firewood. Jhum cultivation alone is taking a toll on the forest resources of Nagaland, depleting the dense forest cover essential for the ecological stability of the region. The special status accorded to Nagaland under Article 371A has also been more abused than used that even natural forests containing rich diversity of flora and fauna have been destroyed under the contentious plea that all forests(even at Rangapahar) belong to the tribe and the state government does not have an inch of land. This can be seen when Nagaland became a state in 1963, it inherited a vast tract of forest in Dimapur area(then under Kohima Forest Division) from the government of Assam, spread over a total area of 8809 Hectares or 21,768 Acres. The pristine forest replete with valuable wood such as teak, hollock, titachap, agar, bonsum etc, to name a few, was also the home to various other rare animals and indigenous botanical species. The Rangapahar reserved forest was a protected area under the 1925 notification of the Forest department of Assam. The new state of Nagaland inherited a veritable nature’s trove. Unfortunately, the state government exhibited lack of vision, will and purpose towards protecting such a rich inheritance. With support of powerful politicians, corrupt officials and land grabbers, this valuable nature’s gift was systematically plundered from the seventies onwards through rampant poaching, illegal felling of trees.Today what remains is a pathetic area of 300 acres styled as Nagaland Zoological Park. This spot could also vanish from the face of the earth one day if the past serves as indication, from land grabbers in league with powerful politicians, pliable officials and dubious landowners. Another case in point was a sensational letter dated June 16,2020 written by then governor R.N.Ravi to the chief minister bringing to his notice the forcible occupation of forest department quarters by some elements who evicted forest officials from their departmental residences at Munglamukh forest colony. Encroachments have also taken place inside the Intangki National Park and also forests under Wokha district. The forest department was compelled to act after the governor’s letter with eviction drives at Yimparasa, Bhandari and Longayim in Wokha where hundreds of acres of land were encroached. The elected representatives have consistently failed to insist on using Art.371A for the good of all instead of the good of some.
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