SHILLONG : Members of the Voice of the People Party (VPP) from both the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council on Tuesday visited H Bansiewdor Nonglang, who is currently on a hunger strike at Malki.
Nonglang has been on an indefinite hunger strike since April 9, demanding that the government scrap the proposed tourism project at Lumpongdeng Island in Umiam Lake.
Speaking to the media, VPP MDC Powell Sohklet stated that the agitation led by the Green Tech Foundation (GTF) is a genuine movement aimed at protecting the environment and preserving the natural ecosystem.
He criticized the state government’s plan to develop a resort at Dewlynnong Lumpongdeng, alleging that the clarifications given by the government are misleading and contrary to the demands raised by the GTF.
Sohklet also expressed concern over the government’s increasing push to establish five-star hotels across various locations in the state, particularly at Lumpongdeng, which lies in the middle of Umiam Lake and serves as a natural habitat for various living organisms.
The visit by VPP leaders highlights growing political support for the protest, as tensions continue to rise over the proposed project and its potential environmental impact.