Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 8 Apr: In an outrageous move, officials from the Forest Department seized wild herbs and vegetables, including wild banana flowers, Indian prickly ash, and aromatic litsea, being sold by daily wage earners and vegetable vendors at Gandhi Market in Itanagar on Tuesday.
“On customer demand, we collect wild herbs and sell them in the market. Today they seized our vegetables and harassed us.
If local herbs are banned from sale, they must inform us properly,” protested Takam Yajak, a vendor.
“If we’re banned from selling wild herbs, what will we sell? Our families depend on our daily market earnings. If we can’t sell vegetables, they should give us government jobs,” said Yapung Rigia, another vendor.
It is learnt that the operation was carried out based on an order issued by Itanagar Capital Region Deputy Commissioner Talo Potom on 27 March.
Potom had issued the order based on a report from Papum Pare Biodiversity Management Committee chairperson Nabam Regum, claiming that vegetable vendors were selling wild animal meat and other forest items.
Nabam Regum, who led the seizure, told The Arunachal Times that only forest items that fall under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 were seized.
Meanwhile, the forest department distanced itself, stating that it did not give permission for any inspection or operation.
