MBDA neglects stakeholders in promoting living root bridges

SHILLONG: The Living Bridge Foundation, which is managing over 100 living root bridges in Meghalaya, has lamented the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority’s sidelining of the stakeholders while conducting a survey for getting heritage tag from UNESCO.
The founder member of Living Bridge Foundation, Morningstar Khongthaw on Tuesday said they are not happy with the ongoing process as the MBDA is sidelining the stakeholders and their contribution in the conservation of the bridges.
“It is a fact that MBDA is seeking to protect the living root bridges by creating guidelines and regulations without seeking the approval of the actual stakeholders who spend every day to take care of the bridges but the MBDA is hiring experts who have not created a single living root bridge,” he said.
He also said a meeting was held last year convened by the Chief Secretary and it was decided to conserve and protect the bridges even as he added that the meeting was attended by experts, government officials and communities but the stakeholders were not invited for the meeting.
Informing that they met the chief secretary and the deputy commissioner on the matter, he added that the DC’s office has not been informed about the survey and the meetings which are being conducted in the Blocks.
“The Foundation is not against the idea of getting heritage tag from UNESCO, but we are not satisfied with the process since the main stakeholders have been sidelined,” he said.
The foundation wants more details about the ongoing process and on what basis, the MBDA has been engaged as consultant to conduct meetings in every Block without informing the district administration.
He also stressed the need to restrict the flow of tourists to the bridges to save them from destruction.
When asked how they are managing it now, Khongthaw said they are working with the community to conserve it.