SHILLONG, NOV 11: The South Shillong Advisory Committee meeting on the Shillong Peak Ropeway Project ended abruptly on Wednesday after Cabinet Minister and South Shillong legislator Sanbor Shullai closed it, accusing the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of shouting down a proposal for an independent expert study instead of responding to it.
Shullai, who chairs the committee, had convened 26 organisations from the constituency, including Dorbar Shnong and local NGOs, to discuss the JAC’s apprehension that the project would affect water sources.
He said the committee had already adopted a resolution to press for an independent probe and to lead a delegation to Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, if the proposal was accepted.
“As local MLA and president of the Advisory Committee of the 19-South Shillong constituency, we have passed a resolution to place before the government,” Shullai said. “We invited 26 groups from within my constituency, including the Dorbar Shnong of Riat Laban, youth welfare organisations and local NGOs. I told them that if they accept this proposal, I will take them as a delegation to meet Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.”
The resolution, as read out by Shullai, states:
“The South Shillong Advisory Committee, having considered the grievances raised by the Joint Action Committee and other stakeholders, has decided to meet the Honourable Chief Minister along with members of the Riat Laban Dorbar Shnong and request the government to constitute an expert committee comprising technical and environmental experts from the best institutes in the country, including IIT or NIT or any other institute, to conduct a detailed study of the issues raised by the JAC.”
“The decision was taken to ensure that an independent agency examines whether the proposed project will hamper the water source,” he added.
Shullai said the government had informed the meeting that the ropeway is 3.15 km from Lum Shyllong and that all six towers are outside the Umiew catchment area.
“The springs serving Oxford Hill, Zigzag Road, Rilbong, Kenches Trace, Lum Sohphoh, Lum Dorbar, Lower Lumparing and Mylliem lie off the alignment and outside the water source. The nearest spring is 1 km away,” he said.
He pointed out that the Dorbar Shnong had issued its no-objection certificate on January 16, 2023, after considering the government’s presentation, and that the land lease was signed publicly at Lum Shyllong after a video presentation to residents.
The project, he said, has clearances from the Ministry of Defence on August 7, 2023, the Airports Authority of India on April 24, 2023, and forest clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on October 24, 2024.
“The views I have mentioned were given by the government. Members of the JAC and others can give their suggestions, and accordingly we will fix a meeting with the Chief Minister after hearing their views and suggestions,” he said.
Shullai said the meeting broke down when JAC members refused to say whether they accepted the proposal.
“We gave everyone an opportunity to speak on whether they accept the proposal placed by the advisory committee,” he said. “I kept asking them whether they accept it or not. If you accept this proposal, only then will I arrange a delegation to meet the Chief Minister, in which a few of you will also be members.”
“But one after another, instead of saying whether they accept it or not, they started attacking. After five of them had spoken, what was I to do? I requested them to give me a decision on whether they accept the proposal to constitute an expert committee, but their mentality is to create trouble. One after another they started shouting, and that is why I closed the meeting and came out,” he said.
With the proposal left unanswered, Shullai said the decision now rests with the government.
“As local MLA, I have convened the meeting and placed these proposals from our advisory committee before them, but they have not listened and have not accepted my proposal as local MLA, so now the decision lies with the government,” he said.
