Meghalaya to Make Nokrek Bio Reserve a ‘Carbon Neutral’ Resort

Shillong, January 16, 2020:

Meghalaya is aiming to make the scenic Nokrek Bio Reserve as a ‘carbon neutral’ resort and pave way for a boost in its tourism sector.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Wednesday visited the Nokrek Biosphere Reserve in West Garo Hills to inspect the sites, wherein the infrastructures will be developed in order to make the carbon neutral resort.

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“We strongly feel that Nokrek Bio reserve is a USP for the state just like Umiam, Sohra and many others. We need to develop the areas around these locations. So, with that objective, we went to see the sites where the different infrastructures will be set up. Our vision is to make Nokrek a carbon neutral resort,” said Sangma.

It may be mentioned here that the Meghalaya government has allocated an amount of Rs. 18 crore on the Nokrek project and an additional amount of around Rs. 12 to 14 crore have been proposed for the infrastructure development.

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The Chief Minister informed that the contracts and tender work have been completed and the work on the upcoming carbon neutral project will begin within two months.

“We are trying to ensure that we be the first one in the region where all the infrastructure like solar energy, waste management, etc. are used in a proper manner. All the materials used will be eco-friendly. I think that is the most appropriate thing to do in a bio reserve,” added Sangma.

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The Meghalaya government is also trying to engage locals in the project. “It is a project where local people should be involved. We want the vegetable items and fruits to be sourced from the area itself. We want the people to be involved in the work to be from that area. Once this works, we would implement this in other areas,” he said.

The Chief Minister informed that similar projects would soon start in Umiam and Sohra, once the work on Nokrek is completed successfully.

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