Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: Meghalaya launched its first eco-sustainable habitat, the Pine Home, in Mawlangwir village on August 17. The project cost Rs 4 crore. It sits in the South West Khasi Hills. Local masons built the site using wood, bricks, and recycled wool for insulation. This blends traditional construction with modern engineering.
The Picasso Pupils Art Society, Emage Architecture Studio of Slovakia, and the Saitsnad Multipurpose Co-operative Society developed the site. The Meghalaya Tourism Department provided support. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma attended the launch. He emphasized the government's role in local development. "Our job is limited to providing the ecosystem and providing the support and the policies, for enterprise and for organisations to thrive," Sangma said.
The state also inaugurated the Twahlongwar Open-Air Museum in Mawsynram. The site features an 18th-century Khasi settlement. It contains over 20 structures, megaliths, a historic market, and an iron furnace. The government allocated ₹63 lakh for research and infrastructure here. Sangma plans to form a committee to study the Khasi, Pnar, and Garo communities. He earmarked Rs 20 crore for this research, which will include DNA testing.
Financial support for tourism continues. Fifteen people received ₹10 lakh each under the Chief Minister's Homestay Scheme. Three tourism societies earned ₹5 lakh each for site development. Sangma also promised better road infrastructure and confirmed that Shillong airport will handle larger aircraft by next year. Tourism Commissioner Rosetta Kurbah stated the Pine Home serves as a model for ecological construction. The government aims to make both sites pillars of sustainable, community-based tourism.
Updated at 18th August 2026 at 2:00am
Beyond its immediate utility, officials intend for the Pine Home facility to grow into a hub for training and research focused on ecological building techniques. Esfulding Marwein, secretary of the Saitsnad Multipurpose Cooperative Society, noted the project has already provided locals with practical insights into using raw materials in environmentally safer ways.
The ambitious research project into the Khasi, Pnar, and Garo tribes will employ 100 researchers who will collaborate with specialized DNA testing agencies. The event also saw participation from key officials including Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, Tourism Minister Timothy D. Shira, Chief Secretary Shakil P. Ahammed, and the Syiem of Hima Maharam, Niandro Syiemiong.
Updated at 18th August 2026 at 5:50pm
The Pine Home project received its funding through Meghalayan Age Ltd at a total cost of ₹5.90 crore. The building design incorporates advanced features like rainwater conservation systems alongside the previously noted insulation methods.
The scope for the tribal history project is broader than initially reported. Sangma confirmed that the team of 100 researchers will travel to Tibet, Cambodia, and Vietnam to trace the historical origins and migration paths of the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo peoples.
Several additional political figures attended the launch, including Mawkyrwat MLA Renikton L. Tongkhar, Ranikor MLA Pius Marwein, Mawsynram MLA Olansing Suin, and Umsning MLA Celestine Lyngdoh.
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