By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 21: The selection of a Delhi-based event management company, E-Factor Experiences Ltd., known for organising weddings and corporate events, for a Rs 23-crore contract for an eco-tourism project within the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary in Meghalaya, has raised concerns due to its limited experience in eco-tourism and previous issues with project execution.
While E-Factor has ventured into tourism-related projects, including the development of eco-retreats in Odisha, their performance has faced scrutiny. In 2022, the Odisha Tourism department issued a notice to two Delhi-based firms, including E-Factor, for substandard facilities at glamping sites. Officials found that the arrangements did not meet the standards outlined in the request for proposal and agreement. The firms were given 72 hours to rectify issues such as tent cleanliness, dining hall amenities, and kitchen equipment.
E-Factor’s portfolio also includes the design and planning of the Vadnagar Archaeological Experiential Museum in Gujarat, a project that showcases modern museology through interactive exhibits and immersive experiences, and both these projects were inaugurated fairly recently, so the review is not known. However, the company’s primary expertise remains in event management, with a focus on large-scale social and corporate events.
The awarding of the eco-tourism project to E-Factor has sparked discussions about the criteria used for selecting firms for specialised environmental and tourism initiatives.
Similarly, even though the firm was awarded the tender just recently, it had put up job requests seeking site managers in Shillong since January, almost like they knew they would get the tender.
It may be mentioned that this eco-tourism project inside Ri-Bhoi wildlife sanctuary is already facing objection from Green Tech Foundation, an NGO working for protection of the environment, which wrote to Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh, demanding immediate cancellation of the project, calling it a threat to one of the state’s most important biodiversity zones.
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.
The Foundation urged the Meghalaya government to instead invest in improving the livelihoods of local communities living around the sanctuary, arguing that this would not only promote sustainable development but also help protect the forest ecosystem in the long run.