Mokokchung, 16 August (MTNews): The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has urged the Government of Nagaland to summon a special State Assembly Session as soon as possible and adopt a resolution against the “implementation of the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023” in the State of Nagaland, in accordance with the provisions of Article 371A of the Constitution of India.
Expressing deep concern over the passing of “The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023″ in the Lok Sabha on 26 July 2023, the NTC termed it as “Sombre” on the landholding system provided under Article 371A of the Constitution of India for the people of Nagaland.
The FCA 2023 aims to exempt land within 100 kms of the country’s borders from conservation laws and allow the establishment of zoos, safaris, and eco-tourism facilities in forest areas.
According to the NTC, the aforementioned Act covers the entire territorial jurisdiction of the present State of Nagaland, “as if the entire area is nobody’s land.”
If enforced, it would completely deprive the native people of their rights to ownership and transfer of land and its resources, which contradict the provisions of Article 371A of the Constitution of India, the NTC stated, adding, “The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023 is more of draconian and communist laws rather than the law of federalism.”
The NTC further asserted that the FCA 2023 is “highly objectionable” as it undermines the landholding system in Nagaland. “Within the radius of 100 kms, the Government of India will take any forested land without any permission from the landowner(s) and Village Council(s). The land and the forest will be at the mercy of the Central Government only to serve their own interest,” the NTC stated.
The NTC continued to emphasize that The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023 undermines the rights and privileges of citizens under the law with a “hidden agenda,” and therefore, is of a “very serious” nature and thus unacceptable.
“In a democratic country like India, land belongs to the people rather than the state as in the case of communist countries. Article 300A of the Constitution of India “Right to property” as well enumerated that, “Persons not to be deprived of his property save by authority of Law” Nagaland is not an exception to it,” the NTC clarified.
The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023 amends the principal Act of the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980. In this context, the NTC observed that the citizens of the state are duty-bound to know whether any previous correspondence exists and the “Applicability of Forest (Conservation) Act 1980″ from the state of Nagaland to the Central Government, and how committed the state is to protecting the constitutional provisions of Article 371A of the Constitution of India.
“The Article 371A of the Constitution of India is the only protective Laws and inherent rights bestowed upon the people of the state and protection from the exploitation from outsider(s). Let us not attempt to rewrite the history of the state of Nagaland and the land holding system vis-a-vis or not tamper with it so that the future generations of the Nagas are not deprived of their fundamental rights,” the NTC added.