Why Koubru, Thangjing, and Nongmaijing Sites Deserve Recognition as Per New SCNBWL Guidelines?

The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SCNBWL) has recently drafted guidelines—finalized in early 2026 and presented during the committee’s December 2025 meeting—that strictly regulate religious structures and land use within India’s wildlife parks, sanctuaries, and protected forests.

These guidelines, still under deliberation with state governments, establish a clear principle: any construction, expansion, or new development on forest land after the 1980 cutoff (as per the Forest Conservation Act) is generally classified as an “encroachment” and will not be permitted.

This follows a high-profile case in Gujarat’s Balaram Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary, where a religious trust’s proposal for 0.35 hectares was initially cleared in July 2024 based on pre-settlement claims but revoked in October 2024 after concerns over unrecorded rights and the risk of setting precedents for similar demands in protected areas.

The drafts allow exceptional case-by-case reviews for historically documented pre-1980 sites, limited expansions only for essential maintenance, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, or visitor management, and propose a dedicated panel (including experts like Dr. H.S. Singh and Dr. R. Sukumar) to ensure consistent, evidence-based decisions amid widespread unsettled land rights in many sanctuaries.

In Manipur, these guidelines carry profound implications for the ancient sacred hills of Koubru, Thangjing, and Nongmaijing—timeless abodes of deities in Sanamahism that predate modern forest laws by centuries or even millennia.

Religius Sites like Thangjing Hill, part of the Churachandpur-Khoupum Protected Forest (notified in 1966), and portions of Koubru and Nongmaijing (often involving reserved or protected classifications) embody indigenous spiritual heritage where faith and ecology have coexisted harmoniously long before colonial or national boundaries emerged.

The guidelines’ emphasis on pre-1980 evidence—such as forest settlement records, cultural documentation, and state heritage notifications under the Manipur Ancient and Historical Monuments Act, 1976 (which already protects key areas in Koubru and Thangjing)—could provide pathways for recognizing existing shrines, pilgrim paths, and minimal structures without large-scale intrusions, aligning with the low-impact ethos of Meitei traditions.

Protecting and promoting these sites is crucial for cultural continuity, religious freedom, and communal harmony in Manipur’s ethnically diverse landscape. They represent the deep indigenous roots of the Meitei people, with annual pilgrimages like Koubru Ching Kaaba reinforcing community bonds and ecological reverence.

State heritage protections already offer safeguards against desecration, while thoughtful promotion through eco-tourism and cultural events can foster inter-community understanding and highlight sustainable practices that have preserved biodiversity for generations.

Moreover, central to Sanamahism is the Umang Lai system—forest deities residing in the forest and natural ecosystems, serving as village protectors in over 365 sacred groves across Manipur. These undisturbed woodland patches function as natural biodiversity reservoirs, maintained through strict taboos against resource exploitation, tree felling, or hunting.

The relationship is deeply reciprocal. The deities shield communities from harm, while devotees ensure the groves’ integrity, embodying an indigenous conservation model where spiritual faith sustains ecological health far predating formal laws.This harmony comes alive during the vibrant Lai Haraoba festival, with dances, music, and rituals celebrating human-nature unity.

These timeless elements highlights why Meitei sacred sites must be safeguarded, for they offer a living model of low-impact stewardship that complements modern conservation goals.

The new SCNBWL guidelines, while prioritizing ecological integrity, provide flexibility for historically rooted practices—especially when supported by documented evidence and state-level recognitions.

In Manipur context, constructive dialogue, submission of cultural records, and integration into conservation planning can prevent conflicts and honor indigenous legacies.Ultimately, recognizing these hills and groves as ancient heritage rather than post-1980 encroachments preserves not just faith but a sustainable way of life.

Thoughtful finalization of the guidelines could set a national precedent, ensuring that spiritual reverence and environmental protection continue to thrive side by side in India’s diverse natural ecosystem.

Naorem Mohen

Naorem Mohen is the Editor of Signpost News. Explore his views and opinion on X: @laimacha.