JOWAI, Jan 10: The Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) has seemingly failed to protect the forest land covering an area of 390 hectares at Thadmynri village in West Jaintia Hills, which was handed over by the Namdong-A Village Council to the JHADC to maintain and manage since 1980.
The forest cover has been reportedly misused by vested individuals, who are supported by some of the MDCs and elders of Thadmynri village.
Prior to 1980, the forest housed Salwood, Teak and other valuable trees which have helped the JHADC generate a significant amount of revenue. However, these trees were allegedly felled by traders and residents from Thadmynri village.
The Dorbar Shnong of Namdong A recently threatened to take back control over the forest land from the JHADC and also summoned the Chief Forest Officer of the Council to clarify as to why the village authority could not take back the land and cancel the agreement made around 40 years ago.
On 5 July, 1980, the Namdong village had handed over the Thadmynri forest land to the Council for proper maintanance and protection of the forest land; and during the year 1980-81, the Council even received a scheme from the state government for planting pine trees to add to the existing Teak and Sal trees.
In the year 1982-83 another scheme was received to plant more trees.
In his clarification, the said officer, Franky Blah, informed that on March 21, 1984, a report from late S Sungoh, the then forester, stated that some people had arrived to destroy the forest area with fire and had also threatened the forest guard not to report to the department about their presence.
Narrating more about the situation, the forest officer said, “on October 3 of the same year, Sungoh informed the department that even after the fire incident, reportedly perpetrated by the miscreants, there were many pine trees alive and that the area needed proper maintenance”.
After a thorough inspection conducted on November 4, 1985, Assistant Forest Officer, A Mukhim, reported that the wire fencing was destroyed and the wires stolen by miscreants.
As fallout of the wire fencing being destroyed, cattle from Thadmynri village destroyed all plantations on the land.
It was then suggested that the village head be summoned to sort out the matter.
Then, on January 28, 1986, another report was filed which stated that pine trees were felled all across forest land.
The officer further informed that during 1996-97, the office had received a scheme for planting more Sal tree at the site, but the land was illegally claimed by one An Suting of Thadmynri village.
Suting was summoned by the Forest department but he never appeared. Nonetheless, an FIR was later filed against him.
It was also informed that Forest Guard Alarm Reaching Dkhar was involved in selling Sal tree to some illegal timber traders. The personnel was then suspended till his retirement.
The Namdong Village Dorbar has lodged several complaints but the Office of the JHADC Forest department have reportedly not responded.
In the public meeting held recently, the villagers have decided to visit the forest land en masse and the JHADC Chief Forest Officer has assured his company in the inspection.
“The forest might have generated revenue more than Rs 10 crore annually from Sal, Teak and other trees. However, due to poor maintenance of the forest land by the Council, all the benefits have gone to the dogs”, said Lambor Lyngdoh, Chairman of the Raid Namdong, while adding that the grass broom plantation of the Thadmynri resident is still worth about a crore of rupees, which will, at the most, help in meeting a quarter of the JHADC staff salaries.