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CM Chang, standing, during interaction with departmental officials in Dimapur on March 16.[/caption]
Dimapur, March 16 (EMN): Nagaland minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and Parliamentary Affairs CM Chang, has assured to initiate necessary measures to improve the functioning of the department and also take up the matter with the state government for allocation of fund under the 14th finance commission.
Chang stated this during interaction with the department officials on his maiden visit to the Forest Complex in Dimapur on March 16. Stating that all those who are working for the forest department are his own family, Chang urged the officers to work hard for the development of the state.
The minister was welcomed by Satya Prakash Tripathi, principal conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden, and other senior forest officers and staff.
The minister had an interactive meeting with the officers and staff, both technical as well as ministerial. The minister gave an opportunity to all officers and staff to speak and express on the problems faced by them.
Satya Prakash Tripathi spoke about functioning of the wildlife wing, existing sanctuaries and the lone National Park in Nagaland - Intangki National Park. He also spoke about the success story of 18 Community Conservation Areas (CCAs) which were converted into community reserves by the state government and the funding of these community reserve projects by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India, New Delhi.
He also emphasised the need of notification of all CCAs into community reserves by the state government and subsequent funding by the ministry for the benefit of the department as well as the communities owning these CCAs. He further highlighted on shortage of fund in the department for execution of works.
Wildlife warden of Dimapur/ Kiphire; director of Nagaland Zoological Park; divisional forest office, Dimapur; and FUO, Dimapur, also spoke on the occasion.
