From Our Correspondent
JOWAI: Minister for Forest and Environment also in charge of Community and Rural Development, Prestone Tynsong launched the Bio-fuel Project in Rymbai village, East Jaintia Hills District, on Thursday.
The bio-fuel project is the first of its kind in the state and the first bio-fuel project taken up by the farmers in the country.
It is a project in which fuel (diesel) and other by products is extracted from the seeds of plants.
The project is being initiated jointly by the government through the District Administration with the East Jaintia Hills District Bio-Fuel Farmers’ Association (EJHBFFA).
The launch ceremony of the project was held at Iawpynsin Community Hall, Rymbai village attended by the Forest and Environment Minister as the chief guest, Parliamentary Secretary, Justine Dkhar as the guest of honour beside other dignitaries, including Principal Secretary in charge C&RD and Fishery Department, KN Kumar, C&RD Director, E Kharmalki, East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner, Abhishek Bhagotia, Chief Executive Officer of the Meghalaya State Rural Livelihood Society, C Kharkongor and officials of the District Administration including ADCs and EACs.
Farmers, villagers and Students also attended the launch programme of the Bio-Fuel Project.
Speaking on the occasion, Tynsong informed that that prior to mining activities in Meghalaya, 77 percent of the state was covered by forest out of which 72 percent is controled and managed by Autonomous District Councils, Dolloi, Syiem, clans and others.
“The land tenure system is complicated and the government has no right to interfere in such land, thereby creating problems with the governments in terms of environment,” Tynsong said.
Tynsong further said that, “When we speak about East Jaintia Hills District one cannot deny the fact that the people here are economically sound but what is most important is to change the mindset of the people in regard to mining activities in order to conserve and protect the environment for the next generation.”
“We should not forget that we had already created insecurity for the next generation by destroying the environment due to our greed,” he added.
He called upon the people of East Jaintia Hills District to work with the government to make a positive change for future generations.
The Forest Minister also said that pongamia tree plantations will surely help the people to improve their income and also to protect the environment.
Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner informed that the project will change the people’s dependence on coal mining and turn towards pongamia tree plantation as a new economy activity, which will also help in restoring the environment.
The project is not a government project but it is the farmers’ project, he said.
The Principal Secretary in charge C&RD, KN Kumar, who is the main person behind the project, informed that the farmers will be given 60 percent subsidy and 25 percent loan whereas the remaining 15 percent will be the farmers’ own contribution.
According to Kumar, 10,000 pongamia trees will be planted in the first phase in Rymbai in 250 hectares of land located at a place called Prutsalaroh, Rymbai village and another 40,000 saplings will be planted in the second phase and the third location will be at Narwan village.
“By next June, we will be able to complete the project with a target of 1 lakh trees,” Kumar said, adding that after seven to eight years each tree will yield 25-30 kilogrammes of seeds for extraction of diesel and by-products such as oilcake to be used as fertilisers, the seeds and also glycerin.
