Officials and others during the laying of foundation stone for establishment of Divisional Management Unit office in Tseminyu on April 12.
Tseminyu, April 12 (MExN): Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change and Village Guards, CL John laid the foundation stone for establishment of Divisional Management Unit (DMU) office in Tseminyu at Forest Colony on April 12.
A press release received here stated that the foundation stone was laid in the presence of Mhonbemo Patton, IAAS, Principal Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, Department of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Jwenga Seb, MLA & Chairman, DPDB, Tseminyu, Dharmendra Prakash, IFS , PCCF & HoFF, Nagaland, Dr Sevono Seletsu, DFO & DMU Head, Kohima and Yhuntilo Kent, Range Forest Officer, Tseminyu.
Addressing the gathering, Minister CL John emphasised on the importance of unity amongst the community to conserve our environment and tackle environmental issues, adding that for any development to take place, there should be understanding among the community members. He said that the foundation stone ceremony was successful because of the unity among all community members along with the Department and Government.
He encouraged the people to be well versed about the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and asked the community members to learn about the Act from today to protect the wildlife. He said, there may be flora in the forest but if there is no wildlife in the forest, it will disturb the ecological balance. Therefore, he urged the village members not to hunt wildlife but to conserve them and also to preserve the environment.
He said, under Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP), plantation is one of the objectives to address the issue of climate change. In this regard, he said that it is not only the work of the Department to plant trees, but the community must come forward in the noble initiative of planting trees.
Talking about institutional strengthening, the Minister said under NFMP, many infrastructural developments have been implemented in various parts of the State. Citing the example of Green City – Bangalore, where modern residential buildings are nestled amidst lush greenery, the Minister urged the gathering to plant atleast one sapling in their homes and make the district a green district in the state. Observing that the DMU office will be established at the forest colony, Tseminyu, 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, Mhonbemo Patton, said, Tseminyu is a well deserving district, adding that the district is strategically connected with other districts of the State. Mentioning that Tseminyu is a well educated district, he 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.
MLA Jwenga Seb, in his address said, the biggest wealth of humans is the recourses of the rich forests and environment and one must learn to preserve the rich biodiversity of the State. He 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 along with the collaboration with Forest Department will help in achieving a shared vision. He further hoped Tseminyu will become a model district for other districts to emulate.
Welcoming the gathering, Dr Sevono Seletsu, DFO & DMU Head Kohima said, the laying of the foundation stone is not just a start of a physical structure but it is also a symbol of our vision and commitment of NFMP and its lasting impact towards the upliftment 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 urged all to be reminded that foundation laying it is not only about building structures but about building a brighter future, and fulfilling one of the aims of NFMP, which is ‘Institutional Strengthening’. The DFO also highlighted about various works undertaken at NFMP villages under Tseminyu.
Chairing the programme, Dharmendra Prakash, IFS, said, 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. He also stressed on the importance of women participation for the society to move forward.
An SHG member from Terogvunyu, Batch-II village, Rosy Semy shared her experiences on how the project has uplifted the SHG members. She also mentioned that the SHG members have gained the importance of Book –Keeping which has immensely boosted their capacity building. Sharing his experiences, Noukhrietuo Kath, Vice Chairman, Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC), Tsosinyu village (Batch – III) shared that under the component of Entry Point Activity (EPA) the village could construct road in the village and also undertake plantation at various forestry intervention model areas. Meanwhile, Yhuntilo Kent, Range Forest Officer Tseminyu proposed the vote of thanks.
JFMC members from project villages under Tseminyu were also present during the foundation stone laying programme.
