India News | Meghalaya to Ensure Environment Protection While Bringing in Palm Oil Cultivation: CM

Shillong, Sept 8 (PTI) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday said his government will ensure environmental safeguards before going ahead with Centre's plans to promote palm oil cultivation in the Northeast region.

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“Whatever steps we take, we will do it only when we are convinced that the environment and interests of the local people are safeguarded,” Conrad told journalists after a meeting of the ruling coalition here.

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He said, “The Government of India's proposal is there and obviously we will see to what extent we will go but we will go once we have done our homework properly.”

The chief minister said there are many states in the North East who are interested in palm oil cultivation as it could help create livelihood.

“Obviously we are very clear as a state that we need to balance things out. So whatever decision we take will always be to ensure that the environment should not be affected in the wrong way, the forest cover should not be degraded,” he said.

Sangma also said, “if we have areas which are barren and are not forested, those kind of area can be utilized for a plantation... then it is a win-win situation.”

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)