Mobile Duty Team under Chümoudkedima Forest Range Office (FRO) has termed as baseless the allegations made by Nagaland Timber Trade Union (NTTU) president Kevise Sogotsu of illegal taxation by police and forest personnel.
Clarifying on the matter, the FRO through Forester-1 (Chumukedima range) Ruokuo Angami said royalty is governed under certain rules of the government and that it was shocking that the president of a responsible organisation was “reluctant to abide by any existing government rules and regulation”. He said the allegation was tantamount to illegal activity or smuggling of state’s resource and making wild allegations against the government servants on enforcement duty.
As “admitted by the NTTU”, that the truck was transporting timber “without any valid document”, the official pointed out that this was illegal as per the law and that penalty imposed was as per existing government guideline and then credited to government revenue and not for personal use.
He further countered NTTU’s claim that the timber from Kiphire was for local use, but pointed out that it was public knowledge that the NTTU president “himself is a veteran timber trader” who supplies “huge quantity of timber outside the state every year” through non-local timber traders.
The official said the attempt by NTTU to “evade payment of legitimate government taxes” under the pretext of “local consumption is very unfortunate”.
He said the claim that “possession of TP did not arise when transportation of timber or any local forest produce was within the state” was totally misleading and a punishable offence as per Forest Act.
On the NTTU question on whether the forest personnel have to stoop to “fleece money” from tree traders and farmers; the official responded saying that the government paid their salary regularly and so were duty bound to check any forest related illegal activities.
The official reaffirmed that the personnel will continue to perform their duties as per government guidelines and not for any individual interest.