Shillong, Apr 8: The Green-Tech Foundation (GTF) today launched its indefinite silent sit-in demonstration at Lumpongdeng Island, located amidst the scenic Umiam Lake, to protest against a proposed luxury resort and spa project in the area.
The group said the agitation would continue indefinitely until the state government formally scraps the project.
GTF members, carrying placards and banners with slogans, “Land for All and Not for One” and “Once Lost Forever Gone,” gathered at the island to express their concerns over the potential environmental destruction if the project is allowed to take off.
GTF chairman H Bansiewdor Nonglang Nonglang criticised the government’s focus on tourism development, asserting that it favours wealthy individuals at the expense of local communities and ecosystems. He said that the development project poses a significant risk of tribal land alienation and environmental degradation.
“The protest will not end until the government provides a written assurance revoking the allotment of 31 acres of land at Lumpongdeng to these big corporate companies,” Nonglang said.
Over 66-acre of land has been entrusted to the Tata Group’s Indian Hotel Co Ltd (IHCL) by the Meghalaya government for a hospitality project at Umiam Lake.
An agreement was signed with IHCL, which operates brands such as Vivanta and Taj, for development of Lumpongdeng Island (36 acres) on the Umiam Lake reservoir as well as redevelopment of the Orchid Lake Resort (30 acres) on the water’s edge.
The GTF maintained that it is crucial for the government to prioritise environmental protection and the rights of tribal communities over private interests.
