SHILLONG: Celebrating World Environment Day on Thursday under the lush pine plantation at Mawpat Hill near Golflink, the Khasi Hills District Council (KHADC) and Mylliem Syiemship have jointly and publicly declared that the pine forest at Mawpat will, henceforth, become the “Law Adong” or Reserved Forest.
The 1700 acre thick pine plantation at the picturesque Mawpat Hill terrain belonging to the Mylliem Syiemship (Elaka) was planted by the Soil and Water Conservation in 1978 and was raised by it till 1998. Since then the plantation was returned to Mylliem Syiemship.
On May 22 last, Mylliem Syiemship represented by the Syiem and the Myntris have entered into an agreement with the KHADC represented by the CEM and EM Forest to jointly manage the Pine Forest and convert it into a ‘Law Adong’ (Reserved Forest by which no one is allowed to touch the pine trees and other species including shrubs or cause wild fire).
The chief guest at the function, the Chief Executive Member of the Council, Ardent Basaïawmoit, said that that henceforth the pine forest which had been painstakingly raised by the predecessors ought to be protected and conserved not only by the Mylliem Syiemship and KHADC but by all the inhabitants of all villages in and around the forest and by every citizen of Shillong.
He called upon the people to co-operate with this task to ensure the virginity of the pine forests which is the source of life of people and other living organism bedsides adding beauty to the city.
He added that the purpose of declaring this as a reserved forest is also to thwart the move to convert the land with the standing pine trees into private property of some Myntris of Mylliem Elaka which will eventually result in disappearance of the lush pine forest.
Ardent also unveiled the foundation stone of the Law Adong jointly with the Syiem of Mylliem.
Those who address the largely attended function were Latho Manik Syiem, Syiem of Mylliem Elaka, Ban Basaïawmoit, local MDC and Executive Member, village headmen, village elders who expressed happiness over the joint decision over the future plan for the forest.
