INTRODUCTION
Marskuin is a village under Community Led Landscape Management Project (CLLMP) funded by World Bank located on top of a hill at Nongstoin C&RD Block. The village has 200 households. This village is a testimony to the picturesque beauty of Meghalaya. It is surrounded by scenic beauty on all sides. The River Kynshi flows through the village which asks for further exploration. Moreover, the people are working together to bring about a change in the village. They are willing to bend over backwards just so they can see that in their lifetime some development in the village whether it be roads, water or Natural Resource Management (NRM) activities. Ergo, they welcome projects of any kind for the betterment of the village. The village has made a steady progress with the various activities under CLLMP. They are able to fulfil tasks given to them and complete all the activities under CLLMP within the stipulated time.
What led the village of Marksuin to express its interest in a community nursery within the village boiled down to one quandary and that was, that every hill in the village has either gone completely treeless or that some are about to become barren. Now, no villager wants this future for their children; so every villager realised problems of the damage being done to the poor hills. However the villagers are not well off so the idea of procuring samplings on their own was not feasible and hence they could not plant trees on these barren hills for many years. But with the introduction of CLLMP and its activities, the Village Natural Resource Management Committee (VNRMC) of Marksuin realised the importance of a community nursery in the village.
Therefore, the Sordar (Head Man) of Marskuin held a Dorbar(Meeting) with the villagers. At the Dorbar, the Sordar explained the importance of the community nursery in the village, the benefits of using sampling from the community nursery, in the future, to plant on all the barren hills and at the same time generating income by selling samplings to other neighbouring villages. The villagers wholeheartedly agreed to the idea given by the Sordar and the VNRMC. With this, the Community Nursery was adopted in the month of May, 2020.
VNRMC
On a flat football field with a clear blue sky above them, the VNRMC members sat down and pondered together on the adoption, formation and fruition of the Community Nursery at Marksuin. In the picture, from left to right, Smt. Syntilin Nongkhar, 26, VCF (Document), Shri. Ricaldus Nongkhar, President VNRMC, Arboktis Nongkhar, 27, VCF (Social), Smt. Yienlity Marwein, 33, Secretary VNRMC, Shri. Klainbingful Nongkhar,34, Procurement Committee member, Shri. Nestone Paliar, 56, SordarMarskuin, Shri. Lewis Lyngdoh, 53, Executive Committee member and Smt. Daphunlang Kharrit,29, VCF Environment. These members are percipient to think the overall wellbeing of not only the present but future generations of the village.
IMPLICIT REALITY
The environment at Marskuin hasn’t been the same as it was in the past. But, laws and guidelines have been implemented and the villagers are willing to adhere to them. The Sordar clearly made them understand that without trees no one would survive and every villager understood the importance of the environment. The village laid down certain laws and guidelines to forbid the villagers from cutting trees recklessly. The village laid down two laws of the land; the Law Kyntang (Sacred Grooves) where no villager is allowed to cut trees or damage the flora and fauna and the Law Adong (Village Land) where villagers are allowed to cut trees in moderation.
VILLAGE NURSERY
According to the Sordar, the Community Nursery would be of great service to the villagers as it would allow them to plant saplings in barren hills as well as to sell other villages in the near future. The President of the VNRMC further stressed on the productivity of the Community Nursery by investing more samplings for future usage. The CLLMP team from South West Khasi Hills were of great encouragement to the villagers to help set up a Community Nursery. The VNRMC began working on the Community Nursery (pictured right) from 18th July, 2020. There were 20 villagers who worked tirelessly to build the nursery. The Procurement Committee bought samplings from the Forest Department, Nongsotin C&RD Block. There were 5000 samplings planted in the nursery at a cost of Rs. 8 only per sapling. Cherry blossom, dieng doh, diengtanglung and diengakor are the 4 types of tree samplings planted within the nursery. There was no convergence with other government departments as the VNRMC and the village who were working together wanted to see first the progress of the nursery in the coming year as well as the adaptability of the samplings with the environment at Marskuin. The nursery’s caretaker is Smt. Waiiulin Nongkhar, 33,(pictured above, left) who was hired by the VNRMC to look after the nursery. The Community Nursery had cost Rs. 1, 22,890 only and it was completed on 5th August, 2020.
As of today, the Community Nursery is not generating any form of income but the VNRMC expressed interest in a Community Fund once the Community Nursery generates revenue.
Grateful to CLLMP
According to the VNRMC, there were not many projects in the village that catered to developmental activities. The village understood the importance of safeguarding the environment but with no help from any external source, it was unable to move forward with activities relevant to the environment. But with the coming of CLLMP, the village as a whole treated the project as their own and due to this reason, they were able to perform their duties and fulfilled all work orders and activities. They feel privileged to be a part of the project. They are motivating other villagers especially the elderly to accept projects that promote development in the village. They also encourage young villagers to accept education as a pillar to achieve development in the village. The VNRMC and the villagers of Marksuin are forever grateful to CLLMP and its implementation in the village.
