SHILLONG, Sep 19: Land acquisition issues in some cases and COVID-19 pandemic have delayed the construction work for as many as twenty tourism-related projects across the state since 2018.
The list of delayed projects nine in East Garo Hills, four in West Garo Hills, three in Ri Bhoi and two each in East Khasi Hills and South West Garo Hills.
What is interesting to note is that the name of Jaintia Hills is missing from the list of districts slated to benefit from the tourism projects in spite of the pitch from the legislators of the region on the need to develop the tourism circuits in the two easternmost districts of the state.
The need to develop tourism circuits in Jaintia Hills assumes significant if the government decided to nurture any plan for providing an alternative solution to people dependent on coal mining and transportation for a living and who have been suffering due to the ban imposed by the National green Tribunal since April, 2014.
Meghalaya is a prominent name on the tourism map of the country but certain areas in the state with tremendous potential inthe sector have largely remained untapped.
While other districts on the region are popular destination among the tourists, the Jaintia Hills region that is blessed with scenic and exotic tourist spots have remained ignored except for a few locations like Dawki, Krang Suri and Tyrshi Falls.
Former PWD (Buildings) Minister and Raliang MLA, Comingone Ymbon had submitted a proposal to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to develop two tourism projects including the Samanong Waterfalls.
In West Jaintia Hills, most of the popular tourist destinations are community run.
It may be recalled that former Deputy Commissioner of West Jaintia Hills and now the State Chief Electoral Officer, FR Kharkongor on seeing the damages done by coal mining to the environment had suggested that people should go beyond coal mining and look towards tourism for livelihood.
