CL John along with other officials during the foundation
stone laying ceremony for DMU office in Tseminyu town on Saturday.
DIMAPUR — Minister
of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Village Guards, CL John, on
Saturday laid the foundation stone for establishment of Divisional Management
Unit (DMU) office at Forest Colony in Tseminyu town.
The foundation stone was laid in the presence of Mhonbemo
Patton, principal secretary Environment, Forest and Climate Change department;
Jwenga Seb, MLA and chairman of Tseminyu DPDB; Dharmendra Prakash, PCCF and
HoFF; Dr. Sevono Seletsu, DFO and DMU head, Kohima; and Yhuntilo Kent, range
forest officer, Tseminyu, stated an update from the department.
Addressing the gathering, the minister emphasised the
importance of unity among the community to conserve environment and tackle
environmental issues, adding that for any development to take place, there
should be understanding among the community members.
He attributed the success of foundation stone laying
ceremony to the unity among all community members along with the department and
government. He encouraged the people to be well conversant with the Wildlife
Protection Act 1972.
“There may be flora in the forest but if there is no
wildlife in the forest, it will disturb the ecological balance,” John pointed
out and urged the village members not to hunt wildlife but to conserve them and
also to preserve the environment.
Stating that under the Nagaland Forest Management Project
(NFMP), plantation is one of the objectives to address the issue of climate
change, he called upon the community to come forward in the noble initiative of
planting trees.
As the DMU office would be established at Forest Colony,
which is well maintained with lush trees, the minister urged the gathering to
conserve the forest and not to encroach the land.
Addressing the gathering, Patton has termed Tseminyu as a
well educated district and urged the gathering to move forward through unity
and cooperation. He also encouraged the people to solve and address any
obstacles through discussion and mutual understanding.
Also speaking on the occasion, Jwenga Seb said the biggest
wealth of humans is the resources of the rich forests and environment and added
that one must learn to preserve the rich biodiversity of the state.
He also highlighted about the Green District Initiative of
the Tseminyu district, which is aimed at fostering environmental consciousness
and awareness among the people. He expressed hope that the initiative, in
collaboration with Forest department, would help in achieving a shared vision.
He further expressed hope that Tseminyu would become a model
district for other districts to emulate.
Welcoming the gathering, Dr. Sevono Seletsu said that laying
of foundation stone was not just a start of a physical structure but also a
symbol of vision and commitment of NFMP towards the uplift of the community.
She added that NFMP has been in the forefront in protecting Nagaland’s rich
biodiversity, empowering the communities and fostering climate resilience
through sustainable forest practices.
The DFO reminded that foundation laying is not only about building
structures but about building a brighter future and fulfilling one of the aims
of NFMP.
Dharmendra informed that out of 185 target villages across
Nagaland, 144 villages have been covered so far by the project. He added that
around 45,000 ha have been covered across the state through plantations, with
approximately 90 lakhs saplings.
