The Ronren Village Gate, a key entry point initiative under the Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP), was officially inaugurated on April 9. The ceremony featured a ribbon-cutting by Dr. Senthil Kumar N. IFS, Chief Conservator of Forest (M & E).
The ceremony, held at the village gate, was attended by Suman W M Sivachar, IFS, Divisional Forest Officer for Wokha Forest Division and Doyang Plantation Division; Ango Konyak, Deputy Conservator of Forests and Deputy Project Director of the FBMP; and Lansothung Lotha, Range Forest Officer in charge of Doyang Beat and Doyang Afforestation Range. The dedication prayer for the ceremony was led by Khyothungo Patton, Catechist from ORCC.
In his inaugural address, Dr. Senthil Kumar expressed his honour and gratitude for the opportunity to unveil the gate, acknowledging the excitement and joy of the villagers who had long awaited its completion. He highlighted the significance of community cooperation in the conservation of forests and wildlife protection, emphasising that the gate symbolised a step forward in ensuring the sustainability of the local environment. Dr. Senthil also urged the villagers to collaborate closely with the forest department to support ongoing conservation efforts.
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The Chairman of CCA, in his speech, thanked the Wokha Forest Department for their tireless efforts in constructing the gate, describing it as a symbol of the connection between the village and broader forest management initiatives. He also raised concerns about the presence of wild elephants in the area, sharing that one house had been damaged by an elephant the previous day, a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges the community faces with wildlife.
Suman W M Sivachar, IFS, expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome extended by the villagers. He reaffirmed the forest department’s commitment to the community’s well-being, highlighting that the inauguration of the village gate marked only the beginning of further positive developments in the region. Sivachar encouraged continued cooperation between the villagers and the department, promising that more initiatives and proposals would follow in the near future. Addressing the issue of wild elephants, he assured the community that steps were being taken to find sustainable solutions to mitigate the threat posed by wildlife.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks from Lansothung Lotha, Forest Ranger, I/C Doyang Beat and Doyang Afforestation Range, who expressed his appreciation to all those who had contributed to the success of the project.
