Shillong: The Meghalaya government announced it has successfully brought nearly one lakh hectares of land under active monitoring and protection. This achievement stems from a combination of long-term afforestation programs and the state's Payment for Ecosystem Services initiative.
Commissioner and Secretary for Tourism Vijay Kumar D noted that the state completed afforestation across 25,000 hectares over the past five years. Officials have set a target for another 14,000 hectares this year, which will bring the total area reached by tree-planting efforts to roughly 40,000 hectares. The remaining protected land falls under the Payment for Ecosystem Services scheme.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma shared the news during a World Environment Day event in Mawrah, East Khasi Hills. During his address, he highlighted how the region overcame water scarcity to become a thriving tourism hub. "Mawrah’s transformation from an area once affected by water scarcity and environmental degradation into an emerging tourism destination demonstrated how conservation and livelihood generation could go hand in hand," the Chief Minister said.
During the event, Sangma inaugurated new eco-tourism infrastructure at Mawrah Lake, including eco-cottages and a glasshouse restaurant. He also distributed Green Meghalaya cheques to participants and joined a tree planting drive using the Miyawaki method. The Chief Minister urged citizens to take an active role in environmental stewardship and community-led tourism to ensure ongoing development benefits the local population.
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