SHILLONG, July 23: Meghalaya Governor Chandrashekhar H Vijaya Shankar on Wednesday emphasised the importance of preserving native plant species.
He also called for avoiding monoculture during plantation drives, stating that such practices lead to ecological imbalance.
Speaking at a tree plantation programme held on the premises of Meghalaya Assembly at Mawdiangdiang here, the governor said he has a deep personal interest in forestry and agriculture, and stressed the need to conserve medicinal plants, especially endangered species, found abundantly in the state.
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The event was organised by the Meghalaya Assembly in collaboration with the Forest Department.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, Deputy Speaker Timothy D Shira and several MLAs also took part in the event.
Sangma said the impact of climate change is being felt globally and the plantation drive on the new assembly premises symbolises a united stand by legislators across party lines on global environmental challenges. He urged lawmakers to continue nurturing the saplings they planted.
Later, the chief minister inspected the construction of the new assembly building, which is being built at a revised cost of over Rs 180 crore.
The project, which was initially sanctioned at Rs 145 crore in 2019, has seen a cost escalation due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation in construction material prices, and design modifications.
Originally targeted for completion within two years, the project is now expected to be fully completed and operational by early 2026. (PTI)
