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Shillong, Aug 28: Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Thursday warned about a potential backlash of imposing stringent measures to curb the entry of outside tourist taxis citing that neighboring states might retaliate by imposing similar restrictions on Meghalayan tourists, which would have negative consequences for the state’s residents.
His statement came as a reaction to the recent protest staged by the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTA) demanding the government to restrict tourist taxis from outside the state from operating in tourist spots.
“But we also have to look at what are the possibilities of a backlash. What if the neighbouring states also imposes stringtent measures to curb the entry of Meghalayan into Assam. Who will bear the brunt at that point of time and who will take responsibility? Will the taxi associations take the responsibility if Meghalayans are stop from going to airport or railway station or access to hospitals in Guwahati? We as a government has to act very responsibly,” Lyngdoh told reporters while appealing to the taxi associations to continue the discussion with the committee headed by Cyril Diengdoh and come to a point of conclusion.
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He said the committee, constituted by the chief minister, has had several rounds of discussions with stakeholders, including taxi associations, to find a solution.
Terming the issue as intricate and complex, Lyngdoh assured that the government is committed to ensuring that tourism benefits local employment to the maximum.
The minister informed that government is implementing PRIME vehicle scheme, which provides 80% funding for local tourism operators to purchase top-notch vehicles. The scheme aims to promote local employment and benefit from the growing tourism sector.
Lyngdoh announced that the portal for the scheme will be reopened soon, with an increase of 100 more PRIME vehicles.
“I have just had a meeting with the commissioner & secretary incharge tourism and in a matter of days from today we will reopen the portal of the tourism department and this time around we are looking at an increase of about 100 more PRIME vehicles. These are vehicles which are top-notch and any visitor to Meghalaya and a lot of these have cars of their own,” he said.
“Now you can’t expect these people to get down somewhere and then hire another car. But what we have said is that we will at least ensure that they are taken to their places of accommodation whether home stays or hotels thereafter they can use locally owned vehicles, that system is being worked out through this committee headed by Cyril Diengdoh,”Lyngdoh also informed.
Asked, the minister said, “It is a growing sector. All these years, you don’t hear of much demand and such issues raised by tourist taxi associations why because tourism was not happening, tourism was minimal. Now with the sector increasing its reach, apparently more and more people would like to reap the benefits of that sector and there is nothing wrong in that.”
To another query, Lyngdoh while expressing concern said, “We do not expect so called NGOs to behave like criminals. Looting passengers might benefit the person who gains a 1000 bucks or so but ultimately he has family, he has friends a lot of whom depend on tourism sector.”
“This is a matter that we take very seriously. I will certainly flag this concern once deputy chief minister in-charge home returns,” he assured.
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