By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The ambitious Cherrapunjee ecological project worth several crores of rupees, has hit hurdles with the Government withdrawing the funds meant for the project for this year even as Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma assured that the Government will try to avail funds through other means.
The question on the status of the project and the survival rate of the plants were raised by UDP member Donkupar Roy in the Assembly on Tuesday.
Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Soil & Water Conservation, Rowell Lyngdoh, said that the budget provision of Rs 27 crore for this year meant for the project was withdrawn as suggested by the Planning department.
However, Dr Sangma intervened and said that the project, which began in 2010, will continue as the ‘Government will avail funds from collateral sources’.
However, earlier while making a supplementary question, Roy doubted the viability of the project by saying that many trees will not survive in the difficult terrain of Sohra.
“The afforestation of Sohra is nothing new. It was also done earlier by the Forest department, but failed miserably,” Roy said.
The legislator wanted to know the survival rate of trees planted in Sohra which, however, was not answered by Lyngdoh as the latter only said that coverage of trees was 80 per cent.
Lyngdoh also said that forest fire is one of the reasons for the poor survival of trees planted at Sohra.
He also informed the Assembly that as many as 24 local indigenous species were planted in Sohra as part of the afforestation project.
