Shillong, April 20: Amid stiff public opposition, the Meghalaya government has decided to scrap the proposed tourism project at Lumpongdeng Island near Umiam Lake while allowing the main luxury resort development to continue at the existing Orchid Lake Resort site.
 |
| Lumpongdeng Island at Umiam Lake, Meghalaya, the site of a proposed tourism project that the state government has scrapped following strong public opposition. |
The decision was announced by government spokesperson and cabinet minister Wailadmiki Shylla after a meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong with a delegation of the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong Ri-Bhoi (SRSRB) on Monday.
According to Shylla, the government has agreed to withdraw Lumpongdeng Island from the project following concerns raised by traditional heads and local stakeholders from Ri-Bhoi district. However, the construction of a luxury hotel on the land currently occupied by the Orchid Lake Resort at Umiam will proceed as planned.
The move also comes amid an ongoing hunger strike by the Green Tech Foundation (GTF), which began on April 9, demanding the scrapping of tourism activities on the island. The government has urged the organisation to call off the protest, stating that its core demand has now been addressed.
Shylla maintained that the government has always been transparent about the project and clarified that the original agreement did not include construction activities on Lumpongdeng Island. “It will purely be experiential tourism,” he said, adding that the government decided to withdraw the island from the project after listening to the concerns of the local community.
Traditional chiefs under the banner of the SRSRB expressed support for the government’s proposal to construct a high-end hotel at the existing Orchid Resort site while keeping tourism development on Lumpongdeng Island in abeyance.
The tourism department has also officially informed stakeholders that Lumpongdeng Island, measuring around 36 acres, will be excluded from the concession agreement signed on February 25, 2026, between the Directorate of Tourism and Umiam Hotel Pvt Ltd (Taj Resort and Spa). The agreement will be amended accordingly.
Officials confirmed that the proposed five-star luxury resort will instead be developed on approximately 30 acres of land around the existing Umiam Orchid Lake Resort property.
ALSO READ: BJP to Become Bigger Political Player in Meghalaya by 2028: Anil K Antony
Defending the government’s decision, Shylla said it should not be viewed as yielding to pressure but as respecting public sentiment. He reiterated that the project aims to boost tourism and create employment opportunities for the youth, noting that the government is seeking partnerships with reputed companies like the Taj Group to address unemployment in the state.
The government also acknowledged that political factors, including the upcoming Shillong MP by-election, may influence public debates around the project but stressed that its decision was guided primarily by the concerns of local stakeholders.
