By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 3: In the wake of Cyclone Remal, Rajya Sabha member Rakesh Sinha on Monday paid a visit to Kongthong village and evaluated the cyclonic impact.
During his survey, the BJP MP observed significant damage to roads and infrastructure, including the Seng Khasi School campus.
It may be mentioned that Sinha is the first Rajya Sabha member to reach out to the affected residents in East Khasi Hills.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Sinha revealed he had discussed the situation with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma before his visit to Kongthong village.
Sinha now plans to submit a detailed report to the chief minister, who has promised support for the cyclone-affected villagers.
Emphasising the urgent need to reconstruct the Seng Khasi School building and strengthen the primary health centre, Sinha noted that tourism development in Kongthong and nearby areas remains suboptimal, primarily due to inadequate road connectivity.
Improved infrastructure, he argued, could attract more tourists globally.
The MP also proposed establishing a tourism centre in Kongthong, suggesting that if properly developed, the village could contribute two per cent to the state GDP through tourism.
“But sadly, so far, it is yet to be explored,” Sinha remarked.
Sinha disclosed that he had discussed the potential of Kongthong as a film-shooting location with several Bollywood actors and producers, who, he added, had expressed interest in filming there.
“But the major problem is that there is no proper accommodation for the film producers, actors and the crew team who will come to shoot their films here. This needs to be addressed if Meghalaya wants to become a destination for film production,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sinha said he will discuss with the chief minister the status of the road project from Kongthong to Mawmang, noting that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) has already been prepared.