A Rs 23.60 crore ecotourism project will harm precious biodiversity found at the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, an environmental organisation fears.
Green-Tech Foundation (GTF) has petitioned Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh against the proposed infrastructure project, with the group’s chairman, HBN Nonglang, expressing concerns that the project would disrupt the sanctuary’s ecosystem and potentially lead to the extinction of unique species of flora and fauna.
GTF also said that Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, covering 29 sq km, is too small for infrastructure projects and has been well-managed with minimal human interaction up to this point.
Stating that the area was declared an eco-sensitive zone in 2017 and developmental projects should be implemented around, not within, the sanctuary, the GTF has demanded the withdrawal of the contract for the infrastructure project. Instead, the government should direct the funds towards developing communities around the sanctuary “to ensure improved livelihood and employment opportunities,” Nonglang said.
Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 1981, is a protected area with diverse ecosystems and home to over 400 species of birds, including the endangered rufous-necked hornbill.
