By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 31: The Tourism Department on Tuesday clarified that reports circulating on social media regarding the proposed Taj Umiam Resort & Spa project are “factually incorrect” and “misinformed.”
The department stated that concerns suggesting environmental unsustainability or adverse ecological impact on Umiam Lake and Lumpongdeng Island are unfounded.
The project is being developed over a total area of 66 acres, comprising 36.10 acres of Lumpongdeng Island land and 29.64 acres of the existing Orchid Lake Resort area. It aims to promote high-value, low-impact tourism while ensuring ecological protection.
Umiam Hotels Pvt. Ltd., the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the project, has obtained the requisite Consent to Establish (CTE). The SPV has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) for the operation and maintenance of the property under the brand “Taj Umiam Resort & Spa.”
All construction and operational activities will follow IHCL’s Taj brand specifications, which mandate compliance with design, safety, quality, and sustainability standards. The department highlighted IHCL’s strong sustainability record, noting that the company joined the globally recognised EarthCheck Certified Program in 2008.
The department cited the Taj Madikeri Resort & Spa in Coorg — developed within a rainforest with minimal land utilisation and no tree felling — as a benchmark for sustainable resort development.
The project will fully comply with the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023, the Waterbodies (Preservation and Conservation) Guidelines, 2023, and all norms laid down by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board and other authorities, it added.
Special priority will be given to protecting the local micro-ecosystem, including avian and aquatic life, through biodiversity conservation, pollution control, waste minimisation, and long-term ecological monitoring, the Tourism department said.
Earlier in the day, members of the Green-Tech Foundation (Meghalaya-India) visited Lumpongdeng Island to highlight concerns over the proposed land allocation to IHCL.
The Foundation reiterated its strong opposition to any development on the ecologically sensitive island, stressing that such initiatives could compromise the fragile ecosystem. It maintained that Umiam Lake, already a major tourist attraction, does not require additional construction or modification.
Chairman H. Bansiewdor Nonglang stated that while there have been indications of a government response, the organisation remains firm in its stand.
He asserted that the Foundation would not permit any corporate entity—whether private or public—to exploit or damage the natural heritage of Umiam Lake, particularly Lumpongdeng Island.
Nonglang emphasised the need to preserve the ecological integrity of the region, warning that unchecked development in environmentally sensitive zones could have long-term adverse impacts.
