The Assembly Committee on Government Assurances has unanimously agreed to recommend to the government the conversion of the factory into a museum and the quarters of the Mawmluh Cherra Cements Limited (MCCL) into a resort, with the possibility of offering the employees the opportunity to manage the resort and museum.
Committee chairman Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar along with members – Gabriel Wahlang and Matthew B. Kurbah conducted a spot inspection of the MCCL factory at Mawmluh in Sohra today.
The committee also engaged with officials of the State’s only government-owned cement factory, which the government is considering closing down.
MCCL Managing Director Wanrilin A M Booth, Chief General Manager K Lyngdoh, and other officials of the cement factory participated in the interaction.
During the interaction, Tongkhar expressed that there seems to be no hope for the factory to be revived due to a multitude of reasons, including the cost of running it.
Members of the Assembly committee unanimously agreed to recommend to the government the conversion of the factory into a museum and the quarters of the MCCL into a resort, with the possibility of offering staff the opportunity to manage the resort and museum. They said that by converting the premises into a tourist spot, revenue could be generated.
“We know that the State government wants to scrap this factory and to close it down and to dismantle. After observing the beauty of this place and seeing the good quarters and buildings of this MCCL, I feel it is sad to dismantle it,” Tongkhar said.
Committee member Matthew B. Kurbah revealed his close association with MCCL from 1999-2000 and expressed regret over the factory’s closure and the loss of jobs for its employees.
He concurred with the chairman’s proposal, suggesting that the factory’s history could be shared with the public through conversion into a museum, and that staff could be involved in managing the campus.
Expressing sorrow over the closure of the State-owned factory, committee member Gabriel Wahlang voiced hope that the government would devise a beneficial package and a favourable exit plan for the staff of MCCL.
