Arunachal Pradesh: Why are locals opposing Centre’s proposal to notify Dibang Wildlife sanctuary as Dibang Tiger Reserve?

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has confirmed that the Centre would soon notify the Dibang Wildlife sanctuary as Dibang Tiger Reserve

The Centre, according to officials of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), would soon notify the Dibang Wildlife sanctuary as Dibang Tiger Reserve. But soon after the locals, particularly the Idu Mishmis who are the main habitants in and around the Dibang Sanctuary, has opposed the move.

Speaking to Northeast Live, Ebo Mili, an advocate by profession, and is a local of the area said, “We the entire Idu Mishmi community are vehemently opposing this”.

Mili added that the villages that fall under the wildlife sanctuary are also irked over the issue. He said, “Lots of villages held the Gram Sabhas, adopted resolutions and said they are against the Dibang Tiger Reserve. They have demanded that the issue of Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary must be resolved first and that the Dibang Tiger Reserve aspect could be handled later on.”

Organisations representing the Idu Mishmis which includes the apex body Idu Mishmi Cultural and Literary Society (IMCLS) and the Idu Mishmi Elite Society (IMES) said that they had written to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) on a number of occasions, but allegedly failed to recieve an appropriate reply.

Ebo Mili said, “Our apex body IMCLS had also written to NTCA and after that the Idu Mishimi Elite Society had also written a letter, but a reply never came. Though the NTCA did reply to the IMCLS, there was nothing much in the reply, but basically it seems that there intention is to declare Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary as Dibang Tiger Reserve by hook or by crook.”

Tracing the chronology of events that has led to the present day scenario Ebo Mili dated back to the 1990s when the process of acquiring territory for notifying the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary had begun. Mili said,”Basically, it all began in the late 90s, and if we speak specifically it started in 1996 for acquiring the Dibang Wildlife sanctuary. So a notification was issued in this regard, but some claims and objections were made regarding this, but those were not entertained by them (Centre). After that we had challenged this and filed a PIL in 2014 with the Itanagar Bench of the Gauhati High Court. On this, the court had ruled in our favour. The court had disposed off the case and asked the government to properly conduct the denotification process of the Dibang Wildlife sanctuary under the WIldlife Protection 1972, a direction was issued in this regard.”

However, things took a different turn when the then Circle Officer of Annini, Pibe Keche had held Gram Sabha meetings, wherein it was decided to form a committee and look after the entire issue. Following this, the Committee had made certain findings and conclusions and this was submitted to the DC which was forwarded to then DFO.

As per Ebo Mili, the report stated-“at first mentioned that the proposal for the redemarcation of Dibang wildlife sanctuary is genuine and jusitified considering more than 50% of the area of the district falls under the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary. Which means that there is a district, of which 50% of the area falls under the Wildlife sanctuary. This was challenged. So the committee’s fact finding was right.

In the 2nd point it states that wildlife sanctuary may be reassessed, re surveyed and the proposed sanctuary may be restricted to 1500 sq km. From the committee’s side a proposal was also given telling that the 4149 sq km Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary be reconsidered and suggested for 1500 sq km beacuse most of the villages, almost 50% of the land of the district comes the wildlife sanctuary. Government had given time of 8 months to file claims and objections, and after the expiry of the time frame, the government had issued a notification stating that no claims and objections were filed.”

Mili further stated,”The Committee’s findings also say as written by Circle Officer Madam, on Jan 2, 1998 and official record mentions that there was no claims and objections made by public. But the report of Committee contradicts this and says it is wrong because they could find in records that plenty of claims and objections were made by the villagers which at that point of time were not entertained by the authorities. Bypassing all this they (govt) had declared about Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary. So, basically Dibang Wildlife sanctuary was notified through a wrongful way and this was challenged.”

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