Opposition to eco-tourism project inside Ri-Bhoi wildlife sanctuary

SHILLONG, April 20: Green Tech Foundation, an NGO working for protection of the environment, has raised serious concerns over a planned eco-tourism infrastructure project inside the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary in Ri-Bhoi.
In a letter addressed to Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh, the group demanded immediate cancellation of the project, calling it a threat to one of the state’s most important biodiversity zones.
The project, worth Rs 23.60 crore, has been awarded to E-Factor Experiences, a Delhi-based firm known for event management and experiential tourism.
According to a press release, the company plans to build a chalet-style resort, interpretation centre, canopy walkways, and a water sports zone as part of the development project.
The managing director of the firm is Samit Garg.
E-Factor Experiences has previously organised events in Shillong, that include the first-ever Meghalaya Age Festival in 2020.
Interestingly, the firm which was awarded the tender in April, had posted a job on an online job search platform called joblum on January 3, seeking site managers in Shillong. The post has now expired.
In its letter, Green Tech Foundation said the sanctuary, which covers only 29 square kilometres, is too small and ecologically sensitive to support such infrastructure.
They also point outed that Nongkhyllem has been declared an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2017, which limits development activities in and around the area.
The sanctuary is home to several key species, including the Indian bison (gaur), leopards, and a variety of birds. A national-level Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) has rated it as one of the best-managed protected areas in the Northeast.
“There are only four wildlife sanctuaries and two national parks in Meghalaya. Projects like these go against the very idea of conservation. The forest here has regenerated well on its own, and it must be left undisturbed,” it said. The group also cited the recent order of the Meghalaya High Court in PIL No. 2 of 2024, which prohibits the felling of trees unless they pose an immediate danger. They fear that building resorts and walkways will inevitably involve cutting down trees and disturb animal habitats.
“Fun doesn’t have to come at the cost of forests. Eco-tourism should be about protecting nature, not altering it,” the letter stated.
The Foundation has called on the state government to instead invest in improving the livelihoods of local communities living around the sanctuary. They argue that this would not only promote sustainable development but also help protect the forest ecosystem in the long run.