Shillong: The HNYF East Khasi Hills cleared the path for the sixth Shillong Literary Festival to open at Ward’s Lake this Thursday. It will last three days. The group gave the green light only after a tense meeting with the Tourism Department on Wednesday.
Tourism Director Brenda Lee Pakyntein and City Superintendent of Police Dangsan Khyriem represented the government. The union made its bottom line clear during the talks. HNYF president Steven Khyriem stated that their decision to back this year's event should not be mistaken for approval of future bookings at the site. "The organisation’s decision to allow the festival this time should not be mistaken for its approval of using Ward’s Lake as a venue for similar events in the future," Khyriem said.
The group fears the city is losing its precious green spaces. While they recognize the value of promoting literacy, education, and culture, they insist on using different spots. Officials mentioned plans to build a permanent venue at New Shillong Township for such programs. The HNYF expects the government to respect this move. They warned that they will not tolerate any future festivals at the lake and will resort to agitation if officials ignore their demand.
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