A special investigation team (SIT) meeting was convened on Monday in Aizawl to address the protection and conservation of riverine reserve forests and reserve forest areas under the jurisdiction of the Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) and the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) in south Mizoram's Lawngtlai district.
Key directives from the district deputy commissioner
District Deputy Commissioner Donny Lalruatsanga emphasized that every possible effort must be made to safeguard these forest areas. He stressed the necessity of verifying whether any 'land passes' had been issued within reserve forest areas and riverine reserve forest areas. Accordingly, he specifically instructed senior revenue officers from both the LADC and CADC to conduct a thorough verification process.
Field verification and inspection zones
It was decided during the meeting that field verification would be carried out to determine the existence of any 'land passes' within the riverine reserve forests. Under the CADC jurisdiction, inspections will be conducted within an 800-metre stretch from the Tuichawng river near the Bangladesh border. Meanwhile, under LADC jurisdiction, inspections will be carried out within 800 metres along the Myanmar border rivers, including Chhimtuipui, Tuichawng (LADC Area), and Sekulh.
Joint verification exercise
The verification exercise will be jointly undertaken by the revenue and forest departments of LADC and CADC over a period of three weeks. Once the verification is completed and the final report is prepared, it will be submitted to the Mizoram government for further action.
This initiative underscores the commitment of local authorities to preserve critical forest ecosystems and ensure compliance with land regulations in sensitive border areas.
