During the mid-2019, there were rather serious rumors afloat that the managerial establishment of the Forest Dept. in the Intangki National Park including the staff quarters of the Forest Dept. had been taken over and was under complete control of NSCN (IM). It was also made apparently clear that the Forest Dept. was helpless in not being able to stop the NSCN (IM) cadre from their activities within the Intangki National Park. Being disturbed by such floating information, the Senior Citizens’ Association of Nagaland (SCAN) felt the need to act responsibly for the sake of our future generation and find out the veracity in this matter. Therefore, on the 14th Sept, 2020, SCAN knowingly filed an RTI not directly to the Forest Dept. but to: The Public Information Officer (PIO); Interlocutor & Governors Secretariat; Raj Bhavan; Govt. of Nagaland, Kohima with the hope that the Raj Bhavan would influence the concerned Dept. to provide truthful response to the questions raised in this RTI.
The Raj Bhavan redirected this RTI to the Chief Secretary of Nagaland on 15th Sept, 2020 who further forwarded the same to the PIO, EF &CC Dept. on 18th Sept, 2020. On receipt of the RTI of SCAN, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest & Head of the Forest Force further redirected this RTI to the Chief Wildlife Warden, Nagaland Dimapur on 24th Sept, 2020. Finally, on 12th Oct, 2020 the Director, Intangki National Park furnished a vague evasive reply to the RTI questionnaires. Unfortunately, SCAN could not take the matter forward at an earlier date due to the Covid-19 pandemic during the ensuing period including slowdown of functional continuity caused due to change of guard in the Association. The SCAN would like to express our thanks to the Office of the Chief Information Commissioner for acknowledging the public interest involved in this matter and taking the initiative by bringing the official representatives of the Forest Dept. and the representatives of SCAN together for a face to face hearing in his Honble Court on 7th Sept, 2022 to review this unresolved pending issue. SCAN had raised ten questions in this RTI. Apart from other general issues, there were four pointed questions in relation to the subject as follows:
Question No.7 of the RTI: Provide information as to why the Forest Dept.s Staffs on duty for the protection of Intangki Reserved Forest have been issued vacation notice from their quarters built specifically for the Dept. of Forest. Answer officially provided by the Director, Intangki National Park: No such vacation order to the Intangki Reserved Forest Staff was received. However, in course of being further questioned in the Honble Court aforesaid as to whether it was a fact that the staff quarters of the Forest Dept. were now under physical occupation by the NSCN (IM), the Forest Dept. confirmed this to be a fact. It is now therefore an established and confirmed fact that NSCN (IM) has taken over the full control of the Forest Dept.s Intangki establishment.
Question No. 8: Provide photo copies of the official vacation notice served to the Forest Dept. by the State Govt. directing them to vacate the premises of the quarters allotted to the staffs of the Forest Dept. stationed at Intangki Reserved Forest. Official Answer provided: No such official vacation notice served to the Forest Dept. by the State Govt. Please refer the enclosed Official Statement of the PIO, Shri T. Aochuba, IFS, Director, Intangki National Park, Dimapur, Nagaland, for Respondents in the Courts Judgement Order passed by the Honble Court of the Nagaland Information Commission, Nagaland, Kohima, Date of hearing held on 7th Sept, 2022 at 12:30 PM, on page No 5, para 4 & 5 is quoted as under: The PIO stated that the above developments mentioned by the applicants (now complainants) happened without the knowledge of the Forest Dept. and the matter was intimated to the Govt, however, after the Ceasefire between the NSCN (IM) and the Govt of India, it became apparent that the Govt. had some plan which is unknown. Query No. 8 & 9, the PIO stated that as he was told, the Dept. was instructed about the plan of the Govt. to convert the forest colony (Intangki National Park) and hence, the Dept. could not do anything or have any say when the Govt. had directed the Dept..
Now, the Dept/Respondents volunteered an explanation in the Honble Court of Nagaland Information Commission that after the Cease-Fire with the GOI, NSCN (IM) had begun their persistent harassment and threats towards all the Forest Dept. personnel posted within Intangki National Park resulting in all the staffs vacating their quarters one after another in fear. Question No.9: Provide photocopy of the orders, directive, resolution of the State Govt. reallocating the staff quarters constructed for the employees of the Forest Dept/Forest Guards to the new occupants, a faction of Naga Political Groups. Answer: No such orders, directives or resolutions of the State Govt. are available in the office record. The Forest Dept. representatives however clarified before the Honble Court that after the vacation of their quarters by the staffs in fear, they categorically affirmed that all the vacated quarters were later occupied by the NSCN (IM) cadre and continues to be occupied to date. Question No. 10: Provide information if any environmental clearance has been given to the present aforesaid occupants of the Intangki Reserved Forest for clearing the jungle, deforestation by the Govt. Official Answer: No such environmental clearance was issued by the Govt. On being questioned further the Forest Dept/Respondents admitted that they have lost all control over the Intangki Reserved Forest as of now to such an extent that even their Departmental Officers have to seek prior permission from the NSCN (IM) to enter into the Intangki National Park.
The above excerpt is a factual reflection of the actual proceeding in the Honble Court of the Chief Information Commissioner, Nagaland which unambiguously reveals the ground reality as it stands today. According to the Forest Dept/Respondents, the State Govt. had been officially kept informed about the harassment being meted out to the field Officers posted at Intangki National Park by the NSCN (IM) from inception but the State Govt. has deliberately been looking the other way without taking any positive steps to stop this contemptuous act of atrocity by the NSCN (IM). It is because of acts such as this that the people now believe that the forests and sound environmental existence, ecosystem of Nagaland State, the Nation or of the World and the future of the people of Nagaland State are in great danger. Intangki National Park consists of a vast forests area of 202 square kilometers, blessed with rich mineral resources of all kinds above and beyond imagination, which shall not be encroached.
For the people of Nagaland State, this is not a time for complacency. We need to clearly understand that the final solution must be fair and square for all Nagas no matter where they are. In the absence of sovereignty and integration let our brothers in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh get their share of privileges for their self-dependence through their Autonomous Regional Territorial Council. The Naga people of Nagaland State will be happy for them but in the same breath it needs be said loud and clear that the people of Nagaland State must also have the same uncontaminated privileges without the interference of other brothers from beyond the present boundary of the State of Nagaland. The State of Nagaland cannot whimsically be converted into make-believe Naga Nation without integration and sovereignty, for all Nagas from everywhere to share equal rights with the Nagas of Nagaland while enjoying their exclusive privileges in their own State(s) at the same time in the absence of sovereignty and integration.
Further, without integration it is not the responsibility of the State of Nagaland to promote a mere population integration without land and rehabilitate our national workers belonging to other States with our aforesaid Intangki National Park. Nagaland should take care of its own national workers and let the other States do the same. Nagas have not suffered these many torturous decades for self-determination just so, as to land up losing our own land instead of protecting it for the future generations to come. So as to create a Headquarter for Pan Naga Hoho within the Intangki National Park and allow our younger generation to be arbitrarily dominated by our other Naga brothers from beyond our present State of Nagaland in the post solution era is unacceptable. The State Govt. under the Chief Ministership of Mr. Neiphiu Rio, Mr. T.R. Zeliang and Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu has a lot to answer to the people of Nagaland for collaborating and clandestinely allowing the NSCN (IM) to take over complete control of Intangki National Park even before the final solution is arrived at. Naga Political Issue should not be used for their petty Political Party survival at the cost of our children’s future.
In conclusion, SCAN charges the State Govt. of Nagaland under the present leadership of Mr. Neiphiu Rio, as Chief Minister for complicity and for compromising the interest of the people of Nagaland State by allowing the NSCN (IM) to take over the complete control of Intangki National Park. SCAN would also like to ask all honorable Nagas of Nagaland: are we going to remain silent while our very own elected State Govt. is clandestinely selling the rights of our younger generation and their future under our very nose? Intangki National Park is the heart and the lungs of the people of Nagaland and of the world. Therefore, it shall have to be protected, reserved and preserved at all cost to prevent climate change and ecological imbalances for the posterity for their survival. Remember what Edmund Burk said: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. SCAN believes this is not an issue for compromise, this is an issue that justifies appropriate uprising from all sections of the population from Nagaland.
President, SCAN
Dr. Khanlo Magh, Gen. Secy. SCAN, Dr. R. Rose Chakhesang, Vice
President SCAN, Dr. P. Khala, Joint Secy. SCAN, C. Pankathang Lotha,
Treasurer, SCAN
S. P. Francis, Spokesman, SCAN, K. K. Sema,
IAS (Rtd)
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