By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 27: A team of Executive Members (EMs) and MDCs of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has found that the Khasi Traditional and Cultural Centre at Jingkieng Kalong near Umiam Lake lies in a severely deteriorated state, despite an expenditure of Rs 14 crore on the project.
The team, led by Executive Member in charge of Council Assets, Pynkhraw Kharjahrin, inspected the site which has remained abandoned since construction work abruptly stopped in 2019.
Several components of the project, including the restaurant, have suffered significant damage, with parts gutted by fire. The guest houses and other structures are now in a dilapidated condition. The premises, once envisioned as a tourist hub, are overrun with wild vegetation and have become a hotspot for antisocial activities.
The EM expressed deep disappointment over the neglect of the project, blaming previous Executive Committees (ECs) for failing to monitor or complete the centre. “It’s painful to see such an important asset lying in ruin. Had we properly managed our properties, the council wouldn’t be in such a financial mess,” Kharjahrin said.
He pointed out that mismanagement of KHADC’s assets has prevented the council from generating its own revenue, forcing it to rely on external funding.
It may be noted that the construction of the centre began in 2018 with a sanctioned budget of Rs 14 crore, but came to a halt in 2019 after a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) led to a High Court stay on all construction near Umiam Lake. In March 2021, the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) issued a closure notice, raising concerns about the location of the septic tank near the lake.
However, Kharjahrin said a 2024 High Court judgment provided relief, ruling that the KHADC centre did not violate any regulation as it had been sanctioned before the relevant rules came into effect. He added that the court’s decision has paved the way for the council to potentially resume the project, subject to compliance with environmental norms.
It may be mentioned that a CAG report for the financial year ending March 31, 2019, had flagged serious irregularities in how the KHADC awarded contracts.
The report revealed that tenders for the cultural centre and other projects were floated on December 29, 2017, but major lapses occurred in the bidding process. In the case of the cultural centre, estimated at Rs 7.5 crore, none of the three bidders quoted rates, yet the contract was awarded to M/s Rodeka Enterprise without explanation.
So far, Rs 5.87 crore has been spent on the project but the work remains incomplete, the CAG report stated.
Kharjahrin will now submit a detailed report to the current Executive Committee, which will decide whether to invest additional funds, likely running into crores, to revive and complete the abandoned centre.
Once completed, the centre is expected to include a main hall, restaurant, guest cottages and other tourist-friendly amenities, potentially transforming the scenic area near Umiam Lake into a cultural tourism hotspot.
