NTTU accused of ‘forcibly trying’ to harass Peren citizens

Peren District Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has accused the
Nagaland Timber Traders’ Union (NTTU) of “forcibly trying” to harass the citizens of Peren district by imposing economic blockade.
Peren CSOs through its media cell sought to clarify stand on the “impasse created by NTTU” following its decision to stop illegal timber extraction from Peren district. Peren CSOs said they restrained themselves from making any press statements hoping that “these timber smugglers” will abide by law and the state forest department will also enforce the relevant laws in force for protection of forest and environment in the state and the country.
However, CSOs expressed dismay that NTTU instead of stopping their illegal activities was “forcibly trying” to harass the citizens of Peren district “with the mindset of gangsters” by imposing economic blockade “to give way for the continuance of their illegal timber extraction.”
Peren CSOs maintained that they had stopped any legal timber extraction as per the law in force. However, CSOs affirmed that they will “never succumb to any pressure tactics of these gangsters who have no qualms for the livelihood of the rural villages with rampant deforestation just for their greed of money.”
On the claim of NTTU about working schemes in Peren district, CSOs said that three working schemes exist only on paper “because the respective village councils of working schemes areas have duly certified in writing that there is not a single tree left the on ground in demarcated Working Scheme areas left to be extracted.” CSOs said they the same documents were with the department and other concerned authorities.
CSOs have, therefore, warned the forest department to do proper spots/areas verification before any extension was given for any working scheme as per the guidelines of working plans.
Peren CSOs urged the forest department and the central ministry of forest, environment and climate change to take note that “this illegal Timber extraction is not taking place only in the District of Peren in Nagaland but also in adjoining Districts of Senapati and Tamenglong in the state of Manipur and the Dimahasao District of neighbouring Assam by these goons of NTTU.”
CSOs claimed that operating/sale agreements in respect to that were their possession.
CSOs said their decision to allow sawn timber out of the district for time being was on humanitarian ground and to ensure that no fresh cutting of trees was done henceforth and “not on any intention as alleged by NTTU.”
Further, CSOs urged the forest department to ensure that no illegal extraction whether round logs or sawn timber were allowed out of the district.
They said the state government and union ministry of forest, Environment and Climate Change should also immediately disband organization like NTTU at the earliest for “their illegal activities” which had been going on for so many years till CSOs of Peren District stepped in.
They said that economic blockade imposed by NTTU against the legitimate rights of Peren district for “stopping their illegitimate activities” will not be tolerated at any cost.
Therefore, CSOs have asked the state government and its administrative machineries not to remain “mere spectator to this arm twisting act of NTTU”, but immediately lift blockade against the citizens of the district. CSOs cautioned that any eventualities resulting from the blockade would be the sole responsibility of the state government and its machineries.