Nongmaiching Reserved Forest
(Nongmaiching Forest Reserve)
Meitei: Nongmaiching Umang
The Government of Manipur is the sole owner of the Nongmaiching Reserved Forest[lower-alpha 1]
Geography
LocationImphal East, Manipur,  India
Area67 sq km (previously 74.7 sq km)[1][2][3][4]
Administration
Statusreserved (under the Indian Forest Act, 1927)
Events
Governing bodyGovernment of Manipur
Ecology
Ecosystem(s)Nongmaiching Ching

The Nongmaiching Reserved Forest (Meitei: Nongmaiching Umang), also unofficially spelled as the Nongmaijing Reserved Forest (Meitei: Nongmaijing Umang),[lower-alpha 2] is one of the eight reserved forests of Imphal East district of Manipur. Covering an area of 67 square kilometers, it protects the forests of the Nongmaiching Ching mountains.[7][8]

History

On February 16, 1966, it was notified for the first time, under the section 4 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, that the Nongmaiching Reserve Forest, covered an area of 74.7 square km.[1][2][3][4]

On July 7, 1966, under the section 6 of the Act, the officer of the forest settlement proclaimed an invitation to claims and objections. It was responded by 20 claims. Among them, one is from Yamkhokhai, chief of Nongmaipal village. The forest survey officer settled the received claims and objections.[1][2][3][4]

And finally, on January 4, 1990, under section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, it was notified that the area of the Nongmaiching Reserve Forest was 67 square km. It was because an area covering 7.07 square km was spared from the Nongmaiching Reserved Forest areas, for settlement of the villagers. On 17 January 1990, the Manipur Gazette number 41 also published the notification informing about it.[1][2][3][4]

The Nongmaipal village shifted its settlement area twice, from its former place in the years, 1985 and 1995. The villagers had their final settlement at the present site in the Nongmaiching Reserve Forest, violating the Indian Forest Act, 1927.[1][2][3][4]

Later on, the village chief as well as other accomplices, encroaching the reserved forest areas, started stone mining activities as well as human settlements. Under the Indian Forest Act, they were arrested and fined.[1][2][3][4]

On the World Environment Day 2022, the villagers violently attempted to stop the forest department officials and environment lovers from planting trees in the Nongmaiching Reserved Forest areas, claiming themselves as the authority over the reserved forest areas. Among the violent activities, they even tored the backdrop set up for the tree plantation drive.[1][2][3][4] Later, the tribal criminals, including the village chief, were arrested.[9][10]

In response to the unfortunate incident happened on the World Environment Day in the Nongmaiching reserved forest area, a joint meet of Coordinating Body Khurai, Joint Forest Management Committee and Laining Ejaat Kanba formed a committee named the "Nongmaiching Laiphamlen And Its Environment Preservation Committee" to safeguard the Nongmaiching Ching due to the fact that the mountain is a sacred place to the Meitei people.[11]

Geography

Eviction

On 3 July 2018, the Forest Department of the Government of Manipur conducted an eviction drive at the illegally encroached areas in the areas of the Awaching (Kobithabi) in Nongmaiching Reserve Forest.[12][13]

Deforestation

Hueiyen Lanpao, a newspaper service, inspected the areas affected by 2012 thunderstorm in the villages of Angourok, Sagolock, Awangching and Kangamthabi in Imphal East district. Many trees were missing, much more than those affected by the thunderstorm. Upon investigation, it was found out that most trees (which were around 20 years old) were cut down inside the Nongmaiching Reserved Forest area. It was also found out that the villagers living in Keirao, Langdum, Uran Chiru and Yaipharok Maring Khul, cut down the trees during night time and they transported the woods using the trucks during the day time. They also found out that the officials working in the Irilbung Forest Beat remain silent seeing all the illegal activities of deforestation happening under their nose.[14]

Forestation

On the International Day of Forests 2013, the Forest Department of the Government of Manipur announced about a program for the replenishment of the green covers of the Nongmaiching.[15]

On the 73rd Van Mahotsav (transl. Forest Festival) in the year 2022, Nongthombam Biren, the then Manipur Chief Minister, led a plantation drive of plant saplings at the Eshing Chaibi area of the Nongmaiching Reserved Forest.[16][17]

Challenges in tree plantation programs

Claiming authority or ownership of the reserved forest areas, several tribals opposed the tree plantation programs organised by the Forest Department officials, resulting in violent conflicts many times.

In the year 2017, as a part of the Van Mahotsav (transl. Forest Festival) celebration, the forest department officials, along with workers, dug holes for the plantation of tree saplings inside the Nongmaiching reserved forest area. Unfortunately, the Maring tribals living in the Sandang Senba Maring village opposed the forestation program, by filling up the dug holes and sowing bean seeds, claiming their authority over the reserved forest areas. As a result, there was a strong conflict between the two parties. Later on, upon notifying the provisions of the law, the villagers stopped their actions.[18]

As a part of the celebration of the World Environment Day 2022, many environment lovers including the forest department officials of the Central Forest Division tried to plant trees in the Nongmaiching Reserve Forest. However, unfortunately, they were stopped violently by the Kuki tribal villagers of Nongmaipal village, attempting not to allow the planters the tree plantation activity. Upon investigation, the tribal villagers were found out to be illegally setting inside the reserved forest areas, violating the Indian Forest Act, 1927. Later, the tribal rebels were arrested under the law concerned.[1][2][3][4]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The fact that the Manipur Government is the owner of the Nongmaiching Reserved Forest is popularly discussed as the villagers settling encroaching inside the reserved forest areas tried to oppose the fact violently in recent years.
  2. ↑ The terms "Nongmaiching" (Meitei: ꯅꯣꯡꯃꯥꯏꯆꯤꯡ) and "Nongmaijing" (Meitei: ꯅꯣꯡꯃꯥꯏꯖꯤꯡ) are interchangeably used.[5] But "Nongmaiching" is the one mentioned officially in the "Manipur Gazette".[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Forest Facts: Why villagers stopped tree plantation in Nongmaiching Hill?". Imphal Free Press. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Forest department clarifies on Reserved Forests and Protected Forests in Manipur | Pothashang News". Pothashang. 2022-06-08. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 NewsDesk, Signpost (2022-06-08). "Nongmaipal village shifted two times encroaching the reserve forest area - PCCF". Signpost News. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "PCCF sets record straight on Nongmaiching Reserved Forest : 08th jun22 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  5. ↑ Devi, Lairenlakpam Bino (2002). The Lois of Manipur Andro, Khurkhul, Phayeng and Sekmai. Mittal Publications. p. 6. ISBN 9788170998495.
  6. ↑ Manipur Gazette. India: Government of Manipur. 1959. p. 4.
  7. ↑ "District wise reserve forest of Manipur". manenvis.nic.in. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  8. ↑ Nediljka, Gaurina-Medjimurec (2014-11-30). Handbook of Research on Advancements in Environmental Engineering. IGI Global. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-4666-7337-3.
  9. ↑ "Seven held as plantation drive ends in chaos : 06th jun22 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  10. ↑ "Tree plantation turns ugly, 8 detained : 06th jun22 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  11. ↑ "Committee formed to save Nongmaiching : 07th jun22 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  12. ↑ "MANIPUR: EVICTION DRIVE AT RESERVE FOREST". India Today NE. 2018-07-03. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  13. ↑ "CM Biren Singh on issues in Manipur". MorungExpress. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  14. ↑ "No authority to protect Reserve Forest in state : 26th apr12 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". www.e-pao.net. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  15. ↑ "Forest day : 22nd mar13 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  16. ↑ S, Vangamla Salle K. (2022-07-08). "Manipur: CM leads plantation drive at Nongmaiching reserved forest". EastMojo. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  17. ↑ "Manipur CM assures change in state landscape in 5 years - Eastern Mirror". easternmirrornagaland.com. 2022-07-07. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  18. ↑ "'Disputed areas belong to reserved forest' : 03rd aug17 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2023-01-23. As a part of Van Mahotsav celebration, Forest Department hired workers and dug holes for planting saplings on June 15 but villagers of Sandang Senba Maring village filled up the holes and sowed bean seeds. This resulted in a confrontation between the two neighbouring villages .
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