Group seeks govt intervention
WILLIAMNAGAR, July 13: The Niksamso Garo Community Organization (NGCO) has once again raised questions on eco-tourism projects that began in the year 2016-17 but are still to be completed.
Earlier NGCO had, with video proof, asserted that at least 12 of these projects across Garo Hills were left in shambles, with just the basic structure being set up. The furore of the incomplete projects drew the attention of Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh, who then claimed that all the projects mentioned had been completed. At that time, more than 95% of the project money had been withdrawn.
While one of these projects is in Tura (Pelga Dare) and another in South West Garo Hills, the remaining were supposed to be set up in East Garo Hills (EGH).
NGCO had submitted videos and photos of the sites which showed shrubs growing where the Nok-Achik (traditional Garo house) should have stood. The complaint had been filed in late 2023.
This week, NGCO led by its president, Tengrak Marak, decided to once again visit some of these sites along with locals and a media-person in two of the villages near Williamnagar-Nengmandalgre and Bolkinggre.
Here is a ground report of the findings:
Nengmandalgre (EGH)
The first village that visited showed the Nok-Achik (traditional Garo House) which was completed only in late 2024 after the NGCO pointed out in 2023 of the hardly getting off ground.
This time around, the Nok-Achik was completed though the quality of construction as well as the ambience that has been created left a lot to be desired. The Nok-Achik, as per the contract consists of a common room and a bedroom with a toilet. The cost of construction of the Nok-Achik was pegged at Rs 48,05,895 while the washroom, which is supposed to come with an extra closet (which was missing) cost the state another Rs 5,00,112. Outside, a ‘Bandasal’ (open sitting room) was erected but was done by the department and not the contractor.
The cost of the Bandasal added another Rs 4,36,183 to the budget. A tree house has also been set up but locals stated it was done within a day and the structure was already unusable and rotten. For the tree house (borang), which could not have been costlier than Rs 5,000, the budget allocated was a whooping Rs 1,24,384. Another general washroom and septic tank (Rs 6,89,675) was also seen.
During the visit, locals, including the secretary of the village were present and felt the entire structure did not actually follow the aesthetic required for a Nok-Achik.
They were also unwilling to take handover of the project that the administration had informed could be taken over by the community for upkeep and revenue generation. “We are unwilling to accept the project as it is still incomplete. Moreover, the borang has already crumbled and was constructed within just a day. We were also unaware of the amenities that the place was supposed to have. Now that we know, how can we accept this responsibility until it is completed,” asked the secretary.
A total of 12 amenities are supposed to be present within the tourism structure that could have changed hospitality for many villages in EGH.
So, what are the amenities missing? Firstly, there was supposed to be solar lights installed (Rs 9,54,812), a rainwater harvesting structure (Rs 2,81,783), landscaping of Nok-Achk (Rs 8,50,250), exterior landscaping (Rs 4,21,790), retaining walls, stone paved pathways, biological water fencing (Rs 7,40,459) as well as an approach road to the site (a total of Rs 2.4 crore) across the 12 sites.
Those visiting the two sites found no approach road and literally no way into the resort in Nengmandalgre. A small climb had to be made.
“We had requested them to change locks and bolts and use modern ones. There are already cracks in many places and we want to reiterate that we cannot accept it until all components of this project are well completed. How can we let tourists stay in such horrible places,” asked the secretary.
Bolkinggre (EGH)
The site of the tourism project in the village had no road at all and it was only through driving through the local playground that the site could be reached.
In this location, even the tree house that was supposed to be there was missing with only the Nok-Achik, washrooms, septic tanks and the bandasal being present.
The walls within the rooms have been set up with plaster in which bamboo canes have been placed. Many of these were already peeling off the walls.
NGCO members during the visit stated that the situation was the same for all 10 sites in the district of EGH.
Speaking during the visit, the NGCO president said, “They have constructed such tourist amenities in inappropriate locations instead of places where tourists can enjoy. It seems the only reason for such projects is so that they can get money sanctioned and enjoy them. Such eco-tourism projects were started shoddily during the previous government in 2017 and continued in this one.”
“We as a community express our displeasure and strongly object to this. We demand that these houses be reconstructed because now we have several tourists coming from across the globe. How will we welcome or host them in such houses? So we request the present government to look into this and take up all the projects left pending,” he added.
NGCO felt that it was time for serious inspection into these projects to take place.
“Let the Tourism minister and officials come and see them for themselves if they do not believe us, because the department falsely claimed that these projects have been completed. They even released a statement as such. We have come for a final inquiry to these locations to let everyone know the actual condition of tourist projects in Garo Hills. We urged all tourist officers to look into this and also request the Tourism minister to also to visit and conduct an inquiry,” asked Tengrak.
Other villages, which although remain close by were inaccessible due to the road and weather conditions though the NGCO asserted that the status of these projects were in more rundown conditions, mainly because they were remote. One place, which the team tried to visit was Mandalgre, another 35 km from Nengmandalgre though the last km in the journey was inaccessible by a normal car.
All the projects in EGH are currently being executed by JC Infra though it was contracted earlier to other people. The total cost of the 12 units of eco-tourism projects comes at a cost of over Rs 14.19 crore to the state. However, the amount spent (notwithstanding quality) comes to Rs 61,20,134, a little over half of the total money invested by the state.