37 Villages Resolve To Protect Ntangki National Park At Athibung Consultation

Imti Longchar | The Morung Express
In a landmark step toward strengthening community-led conservation, representatives from 37 villages under Athibung sub-division, Peren district, on October 17 adopted a set of resolutions to protect and preserve the Ntangki National Park.

The meeting was organised by the Zeliang-Kuki Public Organisation (ZKPO), Athibung sub-division, and marked a significant and first-of-its-kind gathering to deliberate on wildlife conservation, hunting, fishing, logging, and the collective way forward to address these issues.

The meeting was attended by Gaonburas, chairpersons, and representatives from 37 villages, including youth and women leaders, members of the Kuki Inpi, Nagaland Zeliang People’s Organisation (NZPO), Zeliang-Kuki Public Organisation and others.

Resolutions adopted

A series of resolutions was unanimously adopted to protect Ntangki National Park. The house agreed to strictly enforce customary laws against violators involved in timber logging, fishing, and hunting inside the park. It also resolved to ban the use of inverters and batteries for fishing, poisoning of rivers within Athibung sub-division and to empower Village Councils to implement decisions on wildlife hunting within their respective jurisdictions.

The meeting further agreed to extend full support to the Forest Department in its ongoing efforts to safeguard Ntangki National Park, which remains one of Nagaland’s most important wildlife habitats.

Winter hunting pressures

The consultation came at a time when the arrival of winter often marks the beginning of increased hunting activity across Nagaland.

Athibung and adjoining areas on the periphery of Ntangki National Park have long gained a reputation as hotspots during this season, with both outsiders and local villagers reportedly making a beeline for the forest. There have been recurring accounts of baskets filled with birds and wild animals being loaded onto trucks and transported out of the area, a practice that has drawn serious concern.