SHILLONG, NOV 4: Citing futile past talks, the Joint Action Committee Against the Shillong Ropeway Project has decided to boycott the government’s meeting on the Shillong Peak Ropeway Project on November 4 and has threatened to launch a street agitation if the project at Lum Shyllong is not scrapped.
The JAC on Wednesday submitted its official response to the Tourism Department instead of attending the meeting at the State Convention Centre.
“We may not be there physically but we have presented ourselves through this letter. We have submitted this letter to the Commissioner of Tourism and also the Director of Tourism,” said JAC Secretary Dr Linda Marbaniang.
She said the committee is not linked to any political party.
“We are a group of mothers. We are not an organization nor are we connected to any political party. We are mothers who are concerned about our families. We are mothers who cook, who serve the table for the fathers, sons and daughters. We are the ones who clean the dirty dishes, who wash your clothes, who clean the homes. So the basic necessity for us mothers is water. We are concerned about the water and the effect that would happen in Lum Shyllong,” she said.
Dr Marbaniang pointed to the existing water crisis in the city.
“It is a reality, it is a fact now. Even now we have shortage of water. This is not dry season but yet we are facing problems. We as mothers are struggling, how much we sacrifice for our families. We get up early morning to prepare meals, to make the house a home. We take all responsibilities upon our shoulders,” she said.
On the purpose of the meeting, she said two earlier meetings had ended only in arguments.
“We have addressed to the government that since the meeting we have had twice and in these meetings we ended up only in arguments, we haven’t come to any conclusion. We understand that even this meeting that they have called us will only end up with nothing because the government has said it is adamant it will carry on with the project but we are also adamant that we will carry on with our agitation,” she said.
Asked if the JAC will attend, she replied, “We will not attend the meeting.”
“No matter how the government pushes us to surrender, we as a JAC will not surrender. We will stand firm on the ground that we will keep demanding the government to relocate this project,” she added.
In its letter, the JAC said its demand remains non-negotiable – immediate cancellation of the project at Lum Shyllong and its relocation to an alternative site.
“Our stance on this matter has been and is final and will not be altered,” the JAC stated.
“While we acknowledge the government’s invitation and wish to maintain proper decorum, we find it apt that participating in further discussions would be unproductive. We have consistently articulated our position through multiple prior engagements, making it unequivocally clear that while we are not opposed to the Ropeway Project in principle, we strictly oppose and cannot accept its present location and site at Lum Shyllong,” it said.
The JAC said it was disappointed that the government continued to pursue the project at the same site despite public opposition and that it wanted to avoid friction with local headmen.
“It is most suitable that the concerned Rangbah Shnongs (Headmen) must immediately revoke and scrap the existing land lease agreement associated with this project. The government must officially abandon the location at Lum Shyllong and initiate the process of relocating the project elsewhere,” it demanded.
It also warned the government against taking any binding decision at the meeting.
“We strictly caution against the passing of any binding resolutions or decisions during tomorrow’s meeting. Should any such decisions be made regarding the Lum Shyllong site, the JAC formally places on record that we will categorically reject and refuse to recognize them under any circumstances,” the JAC said.
Announcing an intensified agitation, JAC President Deborah Marbaniang said the fight is for the whole of Shillong.
“We intend to take to the streets if the government continues to remain adamant. We appeal to the public to come out in large numbers because this ropeway project will not affect only us, the residents of Laban, or the JAC, but it will affect all residents of Shillong city as a whole,” she said.
Highlighting the ecological value of Lum Shyllong, she said, “This Lum Shyllong that we have is a creation and a blessing of God to us and to the Khasi and Jaintia land. We get our drinking water sources from Lum Shyllong and those sources do not need to be filtered because the water is clean and pure. These rivers that originate from Lum Shyllong feed the Umkhrah and Umshyrpi rivers and through these rivers the dam site is formed and through this dam site we get electricity, and this electricity is not just for the residents of Laban.”
“Similarly, we need to preserve the fresh air. Here in Shillong itself, there is no forest, no jungle left anymore, only this Lum Shyllong is still a large forest. Yes, we have Mawpat which is larger than Lum Shyllong to bring that fresh air,” she added.
“The motive of the JAC is not for any personal gain, but our stand is that we should come together and work together and have that unity to preserve Lum Shyllong so that it will remain for the generations to come,” Marbaniang said.
