In an effort to safeguard one of Meghalaya’s most ecologically sensitive zones, the Green-Tech Foundation, Meghalaya-India, recently visited the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary to raise public awareness against a proposed eco-tourism infrastructure project worth Rs 230.60 million. Conservationists fear the development could pose a serious threat to the sanctuary’s rich biodiversity.

The visit, timed to coincide with Earth Day, was intended as both a symbolic gesture and a pressing call to reevaluate the environmental consequences of the project.

The Foundation cautioned that the construction of the proposed infrastructure could inflict irreversible harm on the sanctuary’s fragile ecosystem, which supports more than 50 mammal species and 25 reptile species.

Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary is particularly significant as it shelters around 30 of the 140 mammal species listed under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, highlighting its role as a haven for some of India’s most endangered animals.

Renowned for its grassroots conservation initiatives in the Northeast, the Green-Tech Foundation is currently at odds with the government over the project. The organisation has urged authorities to reconsider what it believes to be a short-sighted decision that prioritises economic gain over environmental preservation.

The Foundation stated that the sanctuary should not be viewed merely as a tourist destination but rather as a dynamic and vital ecosystem that requires protection.

It also underscored the importance of exploring sustainable alternatives that would balance tourism with ecological responsibility, and advocated for greater participation from youth and local communities in efforts to conserve the region’s natural heritage.

This initiative forms part of the Foundation’s larger campaign to prioritise environmental considerations in policy-making, particularly in ecologically fragile zones like Nongkhyllem, which serves as a critical corridor for wildlife movement and biodiversity conservation in the region.

News source: Northeast News