Insisting that the Meghalaya government must call off the proposed luxury resort and spa project at Lumpongdeng Island immediately—handed over to Tata Group’s Indian Hotel Co Ltd (IHCL)—members of the Green-Tech Foundation (GTF) on Thursday began an indefinite hunger strike outside the State Secretariat, intensifying their opposition to the construction that will disturb the fragile ecosystem in the ecologically sensitive Umiam Lake region.
The protest follows demonstrations held a day earlier at Lumpongdeng Island, with the group now taking its agitation to the seat of power, asserting that it will continue indefinitely until the government formally scraps the project.
Holding placards reading “Our demand call off the project at Lumpongdeng,” the protestors alleged environmental risks and procedural inconsistencies surrounding the allotment of 36 acres of land for the project.
Ritre Lyngdoh, Secretary-General, Green-Tech Foundation, said, “This is incontinuation of demonstrations that we have started since yesterday at Lumpongdeng Island. Today, we have come before the secretariat, government Meghalaya to voice our demand directly on the doors of the secretariat that they must call off this project immediately that has been handed over to Tata Group’s Indian Hotel Co Ltd (IHCL), but which is in contradictory somebody as going to implement this project by the name of Umiam Hotels Private Limited just for the namesake of Tata Group’s Indian Hotel Co Ltd (IHCL), they have branded that name but the implementer is somebody else.”
Raising environmental concerns, Lyngdoh added, “We do not want any major construction at Lumpongdeng Island, because it’s a very fragile Island with Eco sensitivity, it’s a hub for migratory birds and also having the biodiversity of flora and fauna, with on coming of machineries and noise pollution, the flora and fauna, and biodiversity of Lumpongdeng Island could be displaced at large. We stand on environment grounds not as any pressure group, not as any extortioner but we demand for a withdrawal of the 36 acres of Island that has been handed over for the development of a luxury Resort and SPA.”
He further alleged administrative apathy, stating, “We have filed petitions, we have exhausted all are measures to voice our demands to the government. However, the government has remain silent and is adamant that it will not pay heed to us voices. We have also me the tourism minister, the tourism minister himself was not aware that Lumpongdeng Island is part of this project, but in contrast, he was the one who answer to the question in the recent Meghalaya Legislative Assembly session. How can you say that he does not know that Lumpongdeng Island is part of this project.”
“In order to finally make them heed to our demands, we have come here for an indefinite hunger strike. This hunger strike will continue unless and until the government gives into our demand, call off the project,” he said.
It may be mentioned that the Meghalaya government has entrusted over 66 acres of land to Tata Group’s Indian Hotel Co Ltd (IHCL) for a hospitality project at Umiam Lake, with an agreement signed for the development of Lumpongdeng Island spanning 36 acres and the redevelopment of the Orchid Lake Resort covering 30 acres along the water’s edge.
