Shillong, Feb 25: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Wednesday said that 7.28 hectares of Riat Khwan Reserved Forest — earlier held on lease — has been regularized for use as the Marten landfill after central clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
“The said regularization has been done after having obtained approval for diversion of forest land for non-forestry use,” Sangma said in a reply tabled in the Assembly, citing the Ministry of Environment and Forests’ final approval dated 21 November 2011.
He confirmed that the lease has been extended up to 2026, subject to strict terms.
“The land shall continue to remain Reserve Forest Land,” he said, adding that use will be “restricted strictly to waste disposal and sanitary landfill purposes,” and that “no transfer, sub-lease, mortgage or change in land use shall be permitted without prior approval of the competent authority.”
