ES Reporter 

ITANAGAR, Apr 9:  The Department of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, has issued a formal clarification following widespread public outrage and viral social media posts concerning the alleged wrongful seizure of herbs, organic leafy vegetables, and river fish from the Itanagar market.
According to reports, a Magistrate appointed by the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) District Administration, accompanied by police personnel and two frontline forest staff — a Forest Guard and a contingency Forest Watcher under the Deputy Chief Wildlife Warden, Itanagar Sanctuary Division — were involved in the seizure operation. The operation was allegedly carried out at the behest of  Nabam Regum, Chairperson of the Papum Pare District Biodiversity Management Committee and a self-proclaimed Chairperson of the All Arunachal BMC Members Association.
The items seized, which are traditionally consumed by indigenous communities in the region, were reportedly classified as forest or wildlife produce. The incident has sparked strong reactions, with videos showing distressed vendors circulating widely on social media platforms.
In its clarification, the Forest Department stated that such actions are not authorized under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which protects only certain scheduled plant species — such as Blue Vanda orchids, Pitcher Plants, and Beddome’s Cycad — and does not restrict the sale or possession of commonly used herbs and vegetables unless they fall within the protected list. The Department emphasized that the items seized from the market do not appear to include any scheduled species.
Furthermore, the Department clarified that it had neither authorized nor directly participated in the seizure and has sought an explanation from the Deputy Chief Wildlife Warden regarding the involvement of frontline forest staff. It also requested a written clarification from the Member Secretary of the Arunachal Pradesh State Biodiversity Board (APSBB) regarding the actions of  Nabam Regum and has directed that he and any others involved refrain from similar unauthorized actions in the future.
The Department also responded to separate allegations that  Nabam Regum had independently seized river fish from the market, claiming they were caught in rivers flowing through protected areas. The Department reiterated that no individual has been authorized to carry out such seizures. While the Wildlife Protection Act prohibits fishing inside protected areas and the catching of scheduled aquatic species such as dolphins, otters, and certain amphibians, it does not prohibit traditional fishing practices in open rivers and water bodies.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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