KSU for tourism, not BSF headquarters

MAWKYRWAT: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has suggested that the government promote the “beautiful” Rangthong village, where the proposed BSF Battalion Headquarters may come up, as a tourist destination.
In the memorandum submitted to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma here on Thursday, president of the union’s South West Khasi Hills unit Forwardman Nongrem said the area has the potential to be a tourist site.
KSU has been opposing the proposal to set up the BSF headquarters in the village, which is 12km from Mawkyrwat.
“The proposed site, which is known as ‘Mawpait’ (cracked rock), is beautiful. This 2-km-long rock was cracked during the earthquake of 1897 (according to the story told by old timers). From this place, we can see the beauty of Sunamganj town in Bangladesh in the evening. Near this place, there are many fish ponds and also the monoliths with a history that was built long time back by our forefathers,” Nongrem said.
KSU urged the chief minister to promote the place so that locals can also earn from tourism.
In the memorandum, KSU said during a meeting in the village on May 4, locals unanimously decided to oppose the BSF proposal because they fear that it would lead to “forceful uranium mining” in the district as the aerial length to the proposed uranium mining site is a few kilometres away.
KSU also apprised the chief minister of the pending projects in the district which include the Block Institute of Education and Training Centre at Sakwang, a government college, residential schools at Shnongkalong, a 100-bed hospital in Mawkyrwat and several road projects.
Setting up of an industrial training institute and other vocational training centres in the district, greater water supply scheme to Mawkyrwat and its adjoining areas and a border haat at Gumaghat or Nolikata in Ranikor block were among the other issues raised by KSU.