SHILLONG, Aug 30: Amid ecological concerns, Environment and Forest Minister James Sangma said the Centre would be asked to reconsider its decision to push for oil palm cultivation in Meghalaya under the National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP).
The Northeastern states including Meghalaya and the Andamans are on the Centre’s radar for the ambitious project involving more than Rs 11,000 crore for self-reliance in edible oils. “I am concerned about any move to introduce oil palm cultivation in the state,” Sangma told journalists on Monday.
The Minister said mono-cropping of oil palm harms the biodiversity of any region and Meghalaya’s biodiversity is very sensitive and delicate.
He said most of the states have been opposed to oil palm cultivation and Tura MP Agatha Sangma has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.
“I will take up the matter with the Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change to consider any other avenue of development and growth in view of the destructive nature of oil palm,” Sangma said.
Last year, Modi had appealed to the eight north-eastern states to support the plan to expand oil palm plantations so that India can be self-sufficient in its palm oil needs, as the country’s need for edible oil has been increasing.
The opposition to the Centre’s push for mega oil palm cultivation continues to gain momentum in Meghalaya with political parties and several groups becoming vocal.
The NMEO-OP was approved a few days ago. The mission aims at increasing the area under cultivation of oil palm by an additional 6.5 lakh hectares for reaching the targeted 10 lakh hectares in the next five years.
India is the world’s largest edible oil importer. The country imports 133.50 lakh tonnes annually for Rs 80,000 crore.
Identifying the NE region as a special focus area, the mission aims at reducing import dependency of palm oil, benefitting the oil palm farmers and creating employment generation.
