SHILLONG, Sep 17: The state government on Friday reiterated it has not taken any decision to go for oil palm cultivation.
Replying to a query from West Shillong legislator Mohendro Rapsang, Forest and Environment Minister, James Sangma said the department is awaiting guidelines to be issued by the Central government.
Rapsang also asked if the government is looking for private parties to carry out the cultivation. To this, Sangma said the Minister for Agriculture and Horticulture should have been asked this question since the Forest department is not the nodal agency in such matters.
When Rapsang asked if the government will reject a proposal from a private party, keen on investing in oil palm cultivation, given the threat to biodiversity of forest area, the Minister told the House that if the government decides to go ahead, the cultivation will take place in the state’s cultivable wasteland, measuring 3.9 lakh hectares.
However, Rapsang was not amused.
“We can’t use the barren land for oil palm cultivation. It will first touch the forest land and then, private land and so on and so forth. I don’t know if the government has done a study on the possible impact and disadvantages of oil palm cultivation,” he said.
Sangma said the government has not been intimated by the Centre on the introduction of oil palm cultivation in the state. He said the government is awaiting the Centre’s decisions and guidelines.
“We are very much concerned about our biodiversity and ecology which is very fragile. We won’t take any steps that will affect the state’s ecology or delicate biodiversity,” Sangma said.
Congress MLA, HM Shangpliang highlighted how the Centre is pushing very hard to implement this project in the Northeast as evident from its earmarking a huge amount of money to be invested.
Shangpliang sought an answer from Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma on what transpired at DoNER Minister’s August 13 virtual meeting with the CMs of the Northeast. Sangma said the Union Minister had spoken about the Centre’s intention to support farming and plantation in the oil palm sector.
“Some CMs, including that of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, had shown interest. But some states, including Meghalaya, said they need to examine it,” Sangma said.
“It’s a matter of striking a balance between livelihood and environmental protection. If we can create livelihood opportunities for the people, then it’s great. But if that comes at the cost of damage to the environment, then we will have to think about it,” the CM said.
He said the government is working to increase the state’s forest cover by at least 400-500 sq km, adding destroying the forest is not the government’s intention.
“We have not taken any decision yet. It is a very delicate matter but we also need to see the opportunity that exists because the Centre is going to pump in a lot of money in it. However, that does not mean we will compromise on our environment and people. We will take everyone along and decide appropriately,” Sangma said.
Congress MLA, Charles Pyngrope had asked if the Forest department would consider planting other trees, instead of palm trees, on the barren land to increase forest cover.
Citing a 2013 incident in Singapore, he said if any land is given for oil palm cultivation, it will first create the problem of pollution.
