The contentious Shillong Peak Ropeway Project at Lum Shyllong has triggered a major political showdown in Meghalaya. The Voice of the People Party, known as VPP, warned the state government on Friday that it could file a contempt petition in court if authorities continue to press forward with the initiative. The political organisation maintains that executing the project in its current form directly contradicts a ruling by the Supreme Court.
Allegations of Disregarding Apex Court Orders
Party president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit stated that the VPP had initially expected the administration to listen to public grievances and halt the contentious construction. He explained that his party gave the government ample time to consider the objections raised by local citizens, but official machinery has shown complete unwillingness to reconsider its position.
Basaiawmoit indicated that the VPP may soon be forced to initiate contempt proceedings against every department associated with the development. He highlighted that the Tourism Department would be the primary target of this impending legal challenge, as it continues to drive the disputed infrastructure work.
Scrutiny on Tourism, Forest Authorities, and Local Bodies
The party leadership urged all involved state departments to take the warning seriously, immediately abandon the current work at Lum Shyllong, and shift the infrastructure to an alternative venue as demanded by residents.
Basaiawmoit explicitly named the Tourism Department, the Forest Department, and the leaders of Riat Laban, alleging that they are acting in contempt of the Supreme Court by ignoring its judicial directives. He expressed unequivocal backing for the residents of Laban Pyllun, who have been organising demonstrations under the banner of the Joint Action Committee, or JAC. The VPP leader affirmed that his party aligns with the community demand to transfer the ropeway to an area that genuinely requires such transit infrastructure, while condemning the administration for ignoring the legitimate anxieties of local people.
Condemnation of Police Complaint Against KHADC Officer
Tensions escalated further after the government lodged an FIR against Kordor Synrem, an enforcement officer serving with the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, or KHADC. Synrem had previously taken administrative action to seal the Lower Terminal work site situated at Madan Laban. Basaiawmoit described the filing of the police complaint against the enforcement officer as absurd.
He defended the official, asserting that Synrem was purely executing legitimate statutory responsibilities. Basaiawmoit remarked that if the government department truly intended to take confrontational steps, it should have demonstrated the resolve to target the Executive Committee of the council, which is led by the VPP, rather than penalising a duty-bound field officer.
Statutory Arguments Grounded in Forest Legislation
Turning to environmental and regional governance statutes, the VPP chief advised the concerned departments to thoroughly review the legal framework governing community land and forestry in the state.
He highlighted specific provisions under the United Khasi Jaintia Hills District Management and Control of Forest Act, 1958. According to Basaiawmoit, the statute establishes that Raid forests must be supervised by Raid heads operating under local administrative leadership, fully governed by the rules drafted by the Executive Committee of the district council. Bypassing these established council regulations, he noted, undermines local autonomous authority and violates existing legal standards.
