Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change and Village Guard, C. L. John, underscored the vital importance of community participation in the preservation of wildlife species and conservation of forests. He was speaking at the inauguration of the Mon Wildlife Division at Forest Colony, Mon Town on April 22, in the presence of principal secretary, Department of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Y. Kikheto Sema, and principal chief conservator of forests & head of forest force, Nagaland, Vedpal Singh.
The minister urged civil society organisations including Konyak Union, Konyak Nyupuh Sheko Khong, Konyak Students’ Union and church leaders to actively contribute towards saving nature and the environment. Expressing gratitude to the state government and forest department for setting up the division, he called upon officials to discharge their duties with sincerity and responsibility.
Vedpal Singh, IFS, in his opening address, recalled his past experiences in Mon and observed that people were now realising the impact of climate change, shifting their mindset from hunting to preservation. He noted that many villages and organisations such as KU and KSU were coming forward to protect wildlife. In his remarks, Y. Kikheto Sema, IAS, cautioned that climate change was “no longer barking at us but biting us.” He reminded that constitutional provisions such as Article 371 would not shield against climate change, and urged people to plant more trees and preserve wildlife. Konyak Union president, Yamao Konyak, lauded the government and department for opening the Forest Beat Office at Chen town and Wildlife Division at Mon town.
The programme was chaired by Supongnukshi, additional PCCF (Territorial). Invocation was delivered by Rev. Yeangphong Konyak, district chaplain, while a special number was presented by Samuel Konyak. Vote of thanks was proposed by Chupitho, SFS, wildlife warden, Mon Wildlife Division.
