SHILLONG: Tensions surrounding the proposed Shillong Ropeway Project escalated significantly today as the Joint Action Committee (JAC) Against the Ropeway Project, along with residents of Laban Pyllun, staged a massive public rally.
The march commenced from Laban Last Stop and culminated at the project site, where a public meeting was held to voice staunch opposition to the ongoing construction.
Addressing the gathering and the media, Dr. Linda Marbaniang, Secretary of the JAC Against Shillong Ropeway, announced that the committee has served a strict 10-day ultimatum to the Meghalaya Government to scrap or relocate the project.
”This is the time that we had met together as residents of Laban Pyllun and the JAC. As we carry out this rally, we have given an ultimatum to the government to reconsider this project,” Dr. Marbaniang stated.
She urged authorities to shift the initiative to an alternative location where it is genuinely needed, emphasizing that the current site is unsuitable for a tourist hotspot and would cause severe hardship for local residents.
“It is all negative, not a plus point, not a benefit for the people here, and we, the residents here, will suffer. We once again request the government to please reconsider and take the project elsewhere,” she added.
Addressing government claims that the project poses no environmental hazards, Dr. Marbaniang dismissed the justification as impractical, pointing to visible ecological changes in Shillong.
She highlighted dwindling rainfall, the loss of tree cover, and the drying up of local water springs.
When asked about a government proposal for the locality to provide alternative land for compensatory tree planting, she responded flatly, “Very sorry, we don’t have that.”
Regarding potential escalation, Dr. Marbaniang stated that the JAC would deliberate on further steps if the government fails to meet the 10-day deadline, which could include extended agitations such as a hunger strike.
While legal recourse through the Meghalaya High Court remains under consideration, she noted that the committee would collectively sit down to decide its next course of action.
Addressing criticism regarding the timing of the protests, Dr. Marbaniang clarified that residents were initially unaware of the project because authorities failed to conduct a proper public hearing.
Opposition crystallized only after tree felling began, which residents directly link to a sudden, severe shortage of water in the area.
She explained that the delay in organizing protests was due to the committee’s diligence in gathering facts, filing Right to Information (RTI) applications, and reviewing official documents.
Raising serious governance concerns, she alleged that construction is underway without the necessary No Objection Certificate (NOC) and trading license.
Furthermore, she expressed deep dismay and a sense of betrayal regarding the local Dorbar Shnong, accusing them of proceeding behind the backs of residents without prior intimation or public consultation.
However, she confirmed that if the government convenes a formal public hearing, local residents will attend in full force to voice their sentiments.
(4FrontMedia news)
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