People's fire

nagaland is dealing with the problem of jungle burning in a novel manner. The state government is penalising villagers for any such incident, even if they are not directly involved in setting the fires. This is forcing the latter to be more vigilant and the government claims the crime has reduced considerably.

Kohima district deputy commissioner Zhaleo Rio points out that a government order banning jungle burning had been in force since 1996 but it wasn't being adhered to. "I only re-enforced the existing orders...This year the quantum of jungle burning has reduced drastically in Kohima district."

If a village nabs those who set the forests ablaze, the district administration takes appropriate action against them. But if it fails, a collective fine is imposed on it and the amount of Rs 50,000 is deducted at source from the grant-in-aid sanctioned for the Village Development Board Fund through the Department of Rural Development. The money deducted is deposited back to the state exchequer. Rio says the government fined Nerhema and Ciesema villages in keeping with this order in 2004.

Following the government move, many tribal and village organisations have banned jungle burning and hunting in demarcated areas of their villages. Khonoma and Mezoma villages (Angami tribe) and Meluri and Lephori villages (Pochury tribe) are examples. Most bans have been imposed in 2005. Penthu Pochury, president of Pochury Public Forum in Phek district, says his forum has collected fines of over Rs 20,000 from violators. In areas where Jhum (slash-and-burn) cultivation is practiced, precautionary fire fencing devices are used so that the fire doesn't spread to the jungles.