Shillong, February 14: The Monolith Restaurant at Mawmluh was inaugurated today by Cyril V. Darlong Diengdoh, Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, and earlier on the day, the Laitiam River Side Eco Tourism Hub at Laitiam was inaugurated by I. Rynjah, Director of Soil and Water Conservation, Government of Meghalaya. Both these projects under Sohra Civil Sub Division were implemented by the Soil and Water Conservation Department in collaboration with the Meghalayan Age Limited.
It may be mentioned that the Soil and Water Conservation Department under the Sohra Ecological Restoration Project implemented during 2010-2011 to 2015-2016 has taken up some activities and in continuation Natural Resource Improvement Intervention Project has cropped up as a scheme for the promotion of eco-tourism in the areas.
Diengdoh said that the tourism sector is a job multiplier that can generate employment for the local people and uplift the rural economy. He also lauded the leaders of Mawmluh village and Mawmluh Tourism & Allied Activities Co-operative Society (MTAACS) for their cooperation in working together with the Soil and Water Conservation Department and the Monolith Restaurant stand as a testimony. He hoped that this restaurant would provide authentic local experiences to the tourists from outside the state who visited Sohra and Mawmluh areas.
The project at Mawmluh village started during the month of April, 2022 and completed during the month of September, 2023. The project includes site preparation & development and construction of a restaurant, basement staff quarter etc., at a total cost of rupees One crore thirty-nine lakh.
The development of the Laitiam River Side Eco Tourism Hub at Laitiam village started during the month of June, 2022 and completed during the month of December, 2023. The construction includes four cottages, one open terrace restaurant, landscaping etc., constructed at a total cost of One crore fifty-one lakh.