Shillong, Sept 8: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma assured that the State government will do proper homework before taking a call on the Centre’s move to promote oil palm cultivation in the Northeast region.
He said, “Whatever steps we take forward we will do it only when we are convinced that the environment is safeguarded and the interest of the local people are safeguarded and ensure all these aspects are taken into consideration and then we move forward. As I said, the government of India proposal is there and obviously we will see to what extent we will go but we will go once we have done our homework properly.”
“…obviously we are very clear as a state we need to balance things out so whatever decision we take it will always be to ensure that the environment should not be affected in the wrong way, the forest cover should not be degraded,” he said.
KSU urges Govt not to implement Palm Oil Plantation
The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) had asked the State government not to implement the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm in the state of Meghalaya.
In a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Chairman of the KSU Environment Cell, B Nongsiej said, “…Union is of the opinion that the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm, should not be implemented in the state of Meghalaya. We urge your esteemed office to pull in other alternative schemes and projects which will be more sustainable and beneficial to the environment and the livelihood of the farmers and public at large.”
Referring to the policy adopted by the Sri Lankan Government towards these palm plantations over the recent years, he said “The KSU demands the state government to take into account their initiative and actions as they have already discouraged such plantations and putting a ban throughout their country due to various alarming environmental and health concerns.”
He said as per reports, palm oil plantation will result in vast deforestation which will automatically increase the carbon footprint, habitat fragmentation, habitat loss of organisms and will cause mass destruction to the ecosystem in our state.
“It has also been reported that the plantation of such different monoculture crop which is not indigenous will lead to the depletion of underground water and led to the diversion of stream waters into such areas, therefore, it will adversely affect the water table and obstruct the natural flow of rivers and streams which is one of the main source of livelihood of the people,” Nongsiej wrote in the letter.
“In some areas, we may be receiving heavy rainfall but those same areas in the state are facing portable water scarcity in other seasons. This type of cultivation is harmful to the soil due to the high intake of soil nutrients by the young, growing palm trees and usage of excess fertilizer will cause soil pollution,” he added.
