Shillong, October 15: Talks between the Meghalaya Government and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) Against Shillong Ropeway Project ended without a breakthrough on Thursday, with the committee reiterating its demand for the immediate cancellation of the proposed ropeway project at Lum Shyllong.
The meeting, chaired by Commissioner and Secretary in-charge Tourism R.M. Kurbah, failed to resolve the concerns raised by the committee over the project’s potential impact on the environment and water catchment areas.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, JAC Secretary Dr Linda Marbaniang said the committee would continue its agitation until the government agreed to stop the project. “We have not come to any conclusion in the meeting with the Tourism Department. As JAC, our message is clear and strong — we will not stop this agitation. We want the ropeway project to be stopped immediately,” she said.
Dr Marbaniang maintained that Shillong’s immediate priority should be water security rather than tourism infrastructure, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas. “The public of Shillong wants water. We don’t want the ropeway at Lum Shyllong. Take it somewhere else where people need it. Our immediate need here is water, not a ropeway,” she asserted.
Expressing concern over alleged environmental damage, she claimed that trees had already been felled at Lum Shyllong and warned that further destruction could worsen the water crisis. Referring to Meghalaya’s rainfall deficit, which she put at 60 per cent, Dr Marbaniang questioned the justification for undertaking the project in an important catchment area.
She also appealed to the government to consider the long-term consequences for future generations, including the possible loss of water sources, forest resources, medicinal plants and wildlife habitats. “We from Laban Pyllun cry out to the government to listen to us. We are suffering and our children and descendants will suffer. Where will we get water, fresh air, medicinal herbs from our forests? Where will animals live?” she asked.
Meanwhile, the JAC has announced a peaceful public rally on October 17, beginning from Last Stop, Laban, and proceeding to the Sericulture Farm site at Lum Shyllong. Dr Marbaniang appealed to residents of Shillong to participate in the rally while maintaining peace and avoiding any law-and-order problems. The committee also questioned the alleged absence of a mandatory public hearing before the project was initiated.
According to Dr Marbaniang, residents were unaware of the project until they noticed trees being cut down. She alleged that the local Rangbah Shnong had not informed the public about the development. She further claimed that construction activities were temporarily halted following the filing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) but subsequently resumed, prompting the formation of a stronger public movement against the project.
Rejecting assurances that the water catchment would remain unaffected, Dr Marbaniang argued that deforestation could worsen environmental conditions and water shortages in Shillong. She also pointed to rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns as reasons for protecting the remaining forest cover around Lum Shyllong.
Despite the inconclusive talks, the JAC maintained that it would continue its opposition until the government abandoned the project at the proposed location. When contacted for her response, Tourism Commissioner and Secretary R.M. Kurbah declined to comment on the outcome of the meeting.
