SHILLONG, MAY 4: Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Friday expressed serious concern over attempts to derail law and order in the state of Meghalaya.

“I have personally made my views known to the home minister and we are confident that this should be put to a stop and this is going to happen,” Lyngdoh told reporters while responding to a query on the prevailing law and order situation arising out of frequent arson attacks in Shillong city and other places.

“Whoever is committing and whoever is on this series of attacks certainly does not have the best interest of Meghalaya in mind,” he categorically stated.

Stating that entire world is now looking up to Meghalaya, as an alternative to tourism because of a number of factors, including our nature and an Environmental Quality Index (EQI) level, Lyngdoh said, “One of the few hill stations with an EQI level of 60 or below which certainly and also amidst the heatwave across the region, we are one of the few places that are relatively free from both of these environmental factors.”

Whether such incidents have negatively impacted the tourist footfall in the state, the minister however said, “I think it is too early to jump to such conclusions. Generally our tourism season would peak in the month of June and with the intervention of the state government and with the appeal that has been made to all concerned and also the fact that the police department has committed to pull up its socks, we are confident that this trend will stop.”

To another question, Lyngdoh said he really cannot pinpoint one particular factor but there are disgruntled elements in every society and probably that could contribute to these episodes (of arson attacks).

“But on the whole I would like to put it this way that whoever even contemplates committing such an act should remember that they have brothers, they have sisters who are making it in life, earning their livelihood through the various opportunities that tourism is offering. I’m certain that with that thought process in mind, they wouldn’t want to hinder the growth of tourism and therefore snatch away the plate that feeds their own kid and kin,” he added further.

Read: Govt to implement second phase of decongesting of Shillong city

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