Shillong, Sept 1: United Democratic Party (UDP) chief advisor and former deputy chief Minister Bindo Lanong wanted the MDA government to review its decision to welcome oil palm cultivation as proposed by the Centre.
“I urge the government of Meghalaya to review its acceptance of the programme,” Lanong said in a statement.
According to Lanong, the party is shocked to hear the news about oil-palm plan of the Centre for Northeast region, without doing proper survey as to the viability of such palm plantation in hilly areas, where the ission will not be congenial for such plants which require tropical climate, perhaps like in the Andamans.
He said even coconut does not thrive in the north east hills.
The UDP leader said 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 pointed out.
