INTRODUCTION
Marskuin is a village under Community Led Landscape Management Project (CLLMP) 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 Shillong. It is surrounded by scenic beauty on all sides. The River Kynshi flows through the village which further articulates a much need exploration of the village. Moreover, the people are working together to bring about a change in the village. They are willing to bend their back over backwards just so they can see at least in their lifetime a certain development in the village be it 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 Marksuin to expressed its interest on a community nursery in the village boiled down to one quandary and that was every hill in the village has either gone completely treeless or that some are about to occupy a barren look. Now, no villager wanted this future for their children; every villager realised the damaged being done to the poor innocent hills. The villagers are not well off either so the idea of procuring samplings on their own did not arise and hence they couldn’t plant trees on these barren hills for so 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 Sordarexplained 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 Sordarand the VNRMC. With this, the Community Nursery was adopted in the month of May, 2020.
VNRMC
On a flat football field with a gigantic chayote measuring equipmentstanding more than six feet tall with a clear blue sky above them, the VNRMC members sat down and ponder together on the adoption, formation and fruition of the Community Nursery at Marksuin. In the picture, from left to right, Smt. SyntilinNongkhar, 26, VCF (Document), Shri. RicaldusNongkhar, President VNRMC, ArboktisNongkhar, 27, VCF (Social), Smt. YienlityMarwein, 33, Secretary VNRMC, Shri. Klainbingful Nongkhar,34, Procurement Committee member, Shri. NestonePaliar, 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 10 years ago. However, laws and guidelines have been implemented and surprisingly villagers adhere to the laws. The Sordarclearly stated that it was understood that without trees no one would survive and every villager understood the importance of the environment. Therefore, 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. It would be of great benefit in terms of plantation in barren hills as well asselling to 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 was 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 are 5000 samplings planted in the nursery. Each sampling cost Rs. 8 only. Cherry blossom, dieng doh, diengtanglunganddiengakor are the four types of tree samplings planted in the nursery.There was no convergence with other departments as the VNRMC and the village as a whole 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 caretake is Smt. WaiiulinNongkhar, 33,(pictured above, left) hired by the VNRMC to look after the nursery. The Community Nursery cost Rs. 1,22,890 only and it was completed on 5th August, 2020.
As of now, the Community Nursery is not generating any form of income but the VNRMC expressed interest in a Community Fund once the Community Nursery generate income.
Grateful to CLLMP
According to the VNRMC, there are not many projects in the village that cater 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 are able to perform their duties and fulfilled all work orders and activities. They feel privileged to be a part of the project. They motivate the villagers especially the elderly villagers to accept projects that promote development in the village. They encourage the 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.
