Shillong, Apr 9: Members of Green-Tech Foundation staged a protest in front of the Secretariat today, announcing an indefinite hunger strike in protest against the state government’s failure to halt or exempt the implementation of a five-star tourism project on Lumpongdeng Island, which lies on Umiam Lake.
The group has been raising the issue of Lumpongdeng, which has been included in a mega resort development awarded to the company that owns the Taj group of hotels, for a number of days in the media and also launched a sit-in on the island itself this week. Green-Tech has also met with the concerned authorities over the matter but to no avail.
“We are not against the project, but we are saying exempt Lumpongdeng Island from this project because it is located in the middle of Umiam lake and how will you bring heavy machinery and destroy the island?” H Bansiewdor Nonglang, the chairman of the foundation, said.
The protesters wanted a written assurance from the government that the project and contract will be scrapped. Although they had resolved not to move from the Secretariat gate until this happened, they were ordered to move to the other side of the road as protesting in front of the Secretariat was not permitted. Later, after they shifted, they were then told to move on as their protest had not received permission from the Deputy Commissioner.
Nonglang and other members were subsequently taken into custody by police and were released after several hours. Speaking to reporters after, Nonglang reiterated his resolve to continue protesting until the government provides written assurance to scrap the proposed project at Lumpongdeng Island.
