Shillong: Former Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh defended the Shillong Peak ropeway project on Thursday, insisting that environmental clearances were locked in back in 2022. Lyngdoh, the MLA for West Shillong, claimed the approval process kicked off before he joined the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly. He also noted that local Dorbars raised no objections to the plans.
The project hit a wall with the Joint Action Committee. The group met with the Tourism Department on Thursday but failed to reach a deal. The committee demands the project move away from Lum Shillong to protect trees and local water sources. JAC secretary Dr. Linda Marbaniang claims residents were kept in the dark and denied a public hearing. "We are firm in our message that we will not stop this agitation," she said.
Lyngdoh maintains that the government did its homework. He pointed to the President of India attending the foundation stone ceremony as proof of the project's legitimacy. "The environmental clearances were the first step that was taken in 2022, when I was not even a member of the Assembly," he explained. While he stands by the work, he admitted that official communication with the public has been poor.
The standoff shows no signs of cooling down. The committee scheduled a peaceful protest rally for 10 am on October 17, marching from the last stop in Laban to the Sericulture Farm project site. Tourism Director Brenda Pakyntein plans to submit a report on the meeting to the state government. For now, the protests continue.
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