11 May 2024
Manipur's forest cover loss has become a flashpoint, with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) taking notice!
Here's a breakdown of this complex environmental issue intertwined with ethnic tensions:
Forest Cover Concerns:
Alarming Decline: A social media post by Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh highlighted a significant decrease in forest cover, from 17,475 sqkm in 1987 to 16,598 sqkm in 2021.
NGT Takes Action: The NGT, India's top green court, issued notices to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) and Forest Survey of India (FSI) to investigate.
Deforestation and Beyond:
Blaming the Poppy: The Chief Minister attributed the loss to deforestation and illegal opium poppy cultivation.
NGT Seeks Answers: The NGT is probing if environmental norms were followed amidst these concerns.
Manipur's Ethnic Tensions:
Kuki-Zo Tribes Push Back: The Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur have long contested the government's claims of forest encroachment on their lands.
"Ethnic Cleansing" Fears: They allege the government's actions target them for expansion of the Meitei community and suspect a fabricated narrative.
A tangled Web of Issues:
Scheduled Tribe Status and Resource Scarcity: The Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribe status adds fuel to the fire, as resources are already strained.
Media Scrutiny: The Editors' Guild of India report raised concerns about the government's procedures for declaring protected forest areas and alleged bias against Kukis.
Seeking Solutions:
NGT Hearing Set: The NGT has scheduled a hearing for July 31st to delve deeper into the environmental aspects of the case.
Manipur Government's Defense: The government denies accusations and claims they faced resistance from Kuki-Zo groups during eviction attempts.
Manipur's forest loss case highlights the complex interplay between environmental protection, ethnic tensions, and resource scarcity. The NGT's intervention offers hope for an unbiased investigation and a path towards sustainable forest management and peaceful coexistence in the region.