Photo Courtesy: nenews
Shillong: State officials trekked to the Madan Laban site on Saturday. They arrived to address local fears regarding the Ropeway Project. Residents flagged worries about logging and potential water contamination. The Riat Laban Dorbar Pyllun organized the walk-through.
Multiple agencies joined the inspection. The Meghalaya Tourism Department, MRDA, and the Forest and Environment Department sent representatives. The PHED and Shillong Municipal Board also attended. East Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi Forest Officers tagged along to monitor the ground.
Tourism Commissioner Rosetta Mary Kurbah confirmed that authorities approved the felling of 544 trees. These trees stand in the way of stations and cable towers. Kurbah stated, "In keeping with the need to protect the watershed, the project has been relocated to an alternative viable site."
Engineers changed the design to save the forest. The state raised tower heights from 25 to 40 metres. Six towers will go up in total. Each base measures 12 by 12 metres. The government promised compensatory afforestation to offset the losses. The MRDA Joint CEO insisted that the Detailed Project Report includes safeguards against soil erosion and landslides.
Officials and village representatives confirmed no drinking water sources exist in the project zone. The Riat Dorbar Circle verified the land lease. The delegation later checked the upper terminal near Shillong Peak. They found zero trees cut at that location. The government claims this project will boost local tourism without wrecking the local ecosystem.
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