On March 23, a forest department team, led by minister Th. Shyamkumar, seized a large consignment of timber at Sorathen village in the interiors of Kamjong district. (Express photo)
Several frontal organisations of the Tangkhul Naga tribe on Wednesday banned Manipur’s Forest Minister Th. Shyamkumar from entering Tangkhul-inhabited areas, particularly Ukhrul and Kamjong districts, for seizure of timbers worth crores of rupees. The Tangkhul bodies feel the minister has no right to seize timber as the tribal lands are not covered by Forest Act and Manipur Land Revenue Act among others.
The organisations have demanded the immediate release of the timber seized by the forest department and have also asked residents of the district not to invite the minister to host any event till the issue was resolved.
On March 23, a forest department team, led by the minister, seized a large consignment of timber at Sorathen village in the interiors of Kamjong district. Timber worth over Rs 10 crores were reportedly smuggled in from neighbouring Myanmar.
However, reacting to the ban, Shyamkumar on Thursday termed the action of the Tangkhul bodies as unfortunate and surprising. The minister clarified that his department has not banned the use of forest products, including for commercial purposes by the locals, provided the trees were cut as per guidelines in the Indian Forest Act and Manipur Forest Act.
As for the seized timber, the minister said it was transported illegally, in violation of the guidelines. Most of the timber were smuggled in from across the Indo-Myanmar border and require permission from the Government of India for auctioning the same since it is foreign product, he said.
Shyamkumar urged the Tangkhul Frontal Organisations (TFO) to revoke the ban so that he can continue to undertake developmental work in the hill districts.