Shillong, Apr 24: Two locations have been proposed by a government-constituted committee for a second cenotaph for Garo Labour Corps of World War I, where names of persons left out in the first cenotaph in Tura will be incorporated.
While the present cenotaph was installed at Babupara, the committee on preservation of Garo culture and heritage has suggested the second cenotaph may be built either at old circuit house or old Public School at Babupara.
Informing this on Thursday, cabinet minister Marcuise N Marak said the decision to install the second cenotaph was taken at a meeting of the committee on April 15.
The committee was constituted after civil society organisations strongly opposed demolition of the cenotaph at Tura.
He said society leaders and stakeholders had suggested the cenotaph to be rebuilt at the same site without shifting the location.
The Cenotaph, a landmark of Tura, was built in honour of hundreds of Garos who sacrificed their lives during World War I and the few who returned alive in 1918.
During World War I, around 500 Garo men were recruited by the British government in India and sent to war frontlines in France. Their job was to bring in supplies, construct roads and transport much needed supplies to the Allied Forces battling the Germans at the frontlines.
Of the 500 men, 456 reached France, at the beginning of the cold and bitter winter of the same year. When the war ended on May 25, 1918, they were sent to Marseilles port in France for repatriation to India. They landed in Tura on July 16, 1918, but of the 456 who reached France, only 120 returned home alive.
Asked, Marak said the committee has been tasked with the responsibility to look into the preservation of the Garo cultural heritage.
“As requested by the civil society leaders, there will be no commercial structure coming up at the location,” he said.
He informed that the second sitting of the committee will be held on April 30.
“We have already entrusted one architect to come up with the design so that we can see the presentation and if the committee finds it is okay, we can submit it to the government for consideration,” Marak added.
