Shillong, Sept 1: United Democratic Party (UDP) on Wednesday asked the state government to review its decision to welcome the proposed move of the Centre to promote palm oil cultivation in the Northeast region.

In a statement, chief adviser and former Deputy Chief Minister Bindo M Lanong said, “I urge the government of Meghalaya to review its acceptance of this programme.”

He said the party is shocked to hear the news about palm oil plantation plan of the Centre for Northeastern region, without doing proper survey as to the viability of such palm plantation in hilly areas, where the said mission will not be congenial for such plants which require tropical climate, perhaps like in the Andaman.

According to him, even coconut does not thrive in the north east hills.

The UDP leader further informed that broom on the other hand grows wildly in warm hill areas, but in Meghalaya farmers restrict its cultivation for its soil hazard, causing not only serious threat to other agricultural occupation, but disastrous to ecology.

“Therefore, it is safer to go for palmistry than for oil palm industry, which will only pose serious threat to paddy cultivation in north east, the basic food support of the tribals,” he suggested.