Dimapur, March 9 (EMN): The chief secretary of Nagaland, also Finance commissioner, Temjen Toy, inaugurated a conservation area called the “biodiversity peace corridor” on March 9 at Choklangan village bordering Myanmar, in Noklak district.
The programme coincided with the inauguration of a new school building as part of the Composite Education Model programme.
A total of 10 forest land owners donated their ancestral forest lands to set up a biodiversity conservation area. An agreement was signed on April 18 2019, updates on Monday stated. Since then, hunting and logging in the area have been stopped, the updates informed. The signatories agreed to adhere to the norms of biodiversity conservation and not to withdraw their support.
Speaking during the programme, Toy, who was the special guest at the inauguration, expressed delight at seeing the community participating in biodiversity conservation efforts and how the community was contributing also to the construction of school buildings.
Although the village did not submit any representation to the government, Toy expressed hope that the government officers who accompanied him have seen the needs of the village and would do their best in the interest of the people. He said though the village is located in a remote area, the village has produced prominent leaders and officers.
The principal secretary for State Council of Educational Research and Training and School Education, Menukhol John, a special invitee to the event, spoke about values and prospects of community participation, the updates stated.
An introduction to the biodiversity corridor was presented by a citizen, Y Nuklu Phom. In his speech, Nuklu said maintaining peace should not be confined only among human beings but with animals and biodiversity, the updates stated. He said the state is fortunate to have a chief secretary who has concern for the downtrodden. He expressed hope that positive transformation in Nagaland would be realised from his leadership, the updates stated.