Meghalaya Activists Urge Protection of Wetlands Amid Resort Development Plans
Call for Wetland Conservation in Meghalaya
File image of Umiam Lake View Point in Meghalaya (Photo: @SangmaConrad/X)
Shillong, April 18: In light of a green NGO's persistent resistance to the proposed luxury resort development on Lumpongdeng Island, another activist group has urged the Meghalaya Government to prioritize the safeguarding of wetlands recognized under the Ramsar Convention.
The Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO) emphasized on Friday that it is crucial for Meghalaya to designate some of its vital wetlands as Ramsar sites, as the state currently lacks any such recognition.
India boasts 98 Ramsar-designated sites, including notable locations like Chilika Lake in Odisha and Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan, which were acknowledged as the first Indian wetlands of international significance in 1981.
In the North East region, Assam and Tripura have Ramsar sites such as Deepor Beel and Rudrasagar Lake, respectively.
“Regrettably, Meghalaya does not have any Ramsar site, primarily due to insufficient political commitment and administrative efforts towards wetland conservation,” stated HITO president Donbok Dkhar.
He highlighted that the ongoing hunger strike by the Green-Tech Foundation to protect Lumpongdeng Island underscores the pressing need for government action in wetland conservation.
Dkhar urged the State Government to take decisive steps to secure Ramsar site status for significant wetlands in Meghalaya, particularly Umiam Lake in Ri-Bhoi and the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary in the same district.
This initiative would help ensure the protection and preservation of the delicate ecosystems in these essential areas.
The Meghalaya State Government has plans to construct temporary facilities on Lumpongdeng Island as part of a five-star luxury resort project under the Taj Umiam Resort and Spa brand.