Plantation

On the afternoon of April 10th, 2025, the quiet hills of Domtynrong Village were broken by the roar of flames.

At around 2:30 p.m., a fire broke out at the Domphotsiej Reisohlwai Plantation Plot, a cherished piece of land planted with young saplings just the year before. Smoke curled into the sky, and the crackling of fire spread across the hillside. The hard work—months of effort and dreams—was on the brink of being swallowed by flames.

There were no adults nearby, no fire engines—just smoke, heat, and growing fear.

Overview

Agrenggittim, a village nestled in South Garo Hills District, spanning 589.25 hectares and is home to 264 residents. Once blessed with the riches of coal, the era of coal mining came to an end in 2003, leaving behind a legacy of unscientific practices that resulted in the drowning of 14 hectares of mining area. This unscientific mining approach subsequently led to severe land degradation within the affected coal mining region.

The Challenge

Introduction:

Kurung Village, situated along the Meghalaya-Assam border, provides a unique example of the delicate relationship between humans and elephants. During a recent visit to a proposed plantation site on May 3rd, 2023, Mr. Biswajit A. Sangma, Field Coordinator of Tikrikilla Block under the MegLIFE project, and members of the Village Project Implementation Committee (VPIC) encountered a herd of elephants, prompting a deeper understanding of their coexistence in the region.

A Peaceful Encounter:

Overview