The Naga Youth Forum, Manipur (NYFM) on Tuesday raised concern on the loss of forest cover and the rising cases of drugs trafficking in Manipur. It stressed on the urgent need of a mass social movement to address the issue affecting the whole society in Manipur.
The NYFM demanded the government of Manipur and the Government of India for immediate action to identify and delete fictitious villages and delete bogus population, stated a release signed by its president Amu Pamei.
The forum demanded to identify and delete bogus Aadhaar cards and Voter Identity cards, and derecognise chieftainship heading multiple villages, and enact appropriate laws for new village recognition.
The NYFM appeals to all the right-thinking citizens of the state to extend support for this mass social movement for peace and harmony in Manipur, it stated.
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According to India's Forest Report 2021, Manipur recorded a loss in forest cover of 249 sq. km in 2021 compared to forest cover in 2019.
In 2019, forest cover loss was 499 sq km as compared to the previous assessment in 2017, it stated. From 2017 to 2019, Manipur lost a total forest cover of 758 sq km. This is in contrast with the increase of 2.261 sq km in the total forest and tree cover for the whole country during 2019-21, it added.
Deforestation to facilitate poppy cultivation has been mainly responsible for most of the forest cover loss during this period, it further stated.
Correspondingly, drug trafficking has also been on the rise as evidenced by the massive seizure of drugs in the state. Drugs originating from the neighboring countries and trafficked through the state have also been seized in other parts of the country, it added.
The state government has been undertaking a massive campaign against drugs under the banner of ‘War on Drugs’ since November 2018, it mentioned. In the process of the drive against poppy cultivation, it has been found that many areas under the reserve forest and protected forests are under poppy cultivation, it stated. Many illegal encroachers were also found within these forest areas, it added.
It mentioned that this led to the investigation into the existence of many illegal settlements within forest areas. Besides the long-term impact of climatic change, another immediate big impact of deforestation is that Manipur is facing floods during the rainy season and drought and shortage of drinking water during winter, it stated. The massive herbicides and fertilizers used for poppy cultivation have become a big cause of health hazards, it added.
It continued that many new villages, both recognised and unrecognised, have been detected in the follow- up investigation. There have been instances where more than 10 villages in different districts under a single village chief are recognised. The villages were also found to be named after their forefathers and not by location. It is alarming that many villages with fictitious populations, Aadhaar cards and voter ids have also been found, it added.
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The process of timely streamlining has so far been blocked by the elected representatives for their vested interests, it stated
“Sadar Hills (present Kangpokpi) had 179 villages in 1969 which has grown into massive 534 villages in 2021, an impossible growth of 198 per cent. This can be compared to the growth of villages in Senapati District with 126 villages in 1969 and 140 in 2021, a growth of 11 per cent. Similarly, Churachandpur had 216 villages in 1969 and 544 villages in 2021, a growth of 150 per cent. Tengnoupal and Chandel had 232 in 1969 and it has increased to 446 in 2021, a growth of 100 per cent. Tamenglong and Noney recorded a growth of 29 per cent. Ukhrul and Kamjong district recorded a negative growth of 6 per cent in the number of villages,” it stated.
It stated that an attempt to control land and resources has been translated into a political movement demanding a separate political status. This has resulted in socio-political issues in Manipur. This is evidenced by the recent agitation launched by some sections of people in support of the illegal encroachment in the reserve and protected forests, it stated.
A mass social movement is the need of the hour to address the present artificial socio-political issue created by vested interests, it stated. It is the moral responsibility and bounden duty of all those who desire a peaceful and prosperous society, irrespective of their caste, creed or ethnic affiliation, it added.
