The officials of the Namdapha National Park & Tiger Reserve on Wednesday dismantled two structures which were reported to be illegally constructed inside the park. The officials claimed that almost all the illegally built structures inside Namdapha on the Miao-Vijaynagar road have been completely evicted. It is believed that there are eight villages inside the park where members of the Yobin tribe live. Conflicts between officials of Namdapha National Park & Tiger Reserve and the Yobins are regularly reported from Vijaynagar circle. At times, the conflict takes a dangerously violent turn.
There have been violent confrontations in the past between the forest department officials and the members of the Yobin community. The Namdapha National Park & Tiger Reserve is an asset of the state and the nation. Every citizen of the state, especially those living nearby, has a duty to protect it from illegal encroachers. The Yobin community has to understand that they have the biggest responsibility in this regard. They are the ones who live along the periphery of the park. Instead of going for a conflict with the forest department, the community should engage in dialogue and work out a long-term solution. On their part, the authorities of the Namdapha National Park & Tiger Reserve should try to win the confidence of the local Yobin community and engage them in a meaningful dialogue. These hide and seek games of constructing structure and then dismantling it does not serve any purpose in the long run. To save the Namdapha National Park & Tiger Reserve, both the authorities and the Yobin community have to come together.