By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 28: In recognition of its commitment to sustainability and inspiring work in making the world a greener place, Meghalaya government was felicitated as the ‘Green Ribbon Champion’, an initiative of Network18 which recognises the contribution of any enterprise in terms of outstanding environmental commitment.
Network18 celebrates champion PSUs and private enterprises, that have taken serious steps towards building a sustainable future.
The second edition of ‘Green Ribbon Champions’ was held in New Delhi.
Meghalaya was recognised for inspiring and continuing to be one of the most responsible states in making continuous efforts to develop sustainable tourism by rejuvenation and protection of rivers and water bodies, payment for environment services, regular reports on mining plan and plantation plan with a mission to plant 5 million trees by 2025.
Information and Public Relations (IPR) Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, who received the award, said that Meghalaya’s stunning landscape, with 94% of forests that are community-owned, underscores the importance of community participation in reversing climate change.
Recalling that Meghalaya, in 2019, became the first state in India to launch an integrated Water Policy, followed by the Water Mission,
promoting sustainable water management and creating livelihood opportunities, Lyngdoh added that communities have emerged as champions in the conservation of catchment areas.
“Recognising the need for efficient forest landscape management, we’ve initiated Forest Management Plans (FMPs), with 400 in 2022 and 500 more in preparation, to directly benefit our people. With approximately 80% of our population in rural areas and 70% dependent on agriculture, the Natural Farming Initiative promotes nutrition security through multi-cropping, reduced farming costs, and reduced carbon footprint,” Lyngdoh added.
The government has also launched the Payment for Ecosystem Scheme (PES) to incentivise communities to conserve forests, covering over 17,100 hectares in its first phase, aiming for 50,000 hectares in five years.