REPORT ON KYRPHEI

EAST KHASI HILLS

COMMUNITY LED LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

About Community Led Landscape Management Project……………………………………

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………

First Contact and Ground Truthing……………………………………………………………………..

Formation of VNRMC………………………………………………………………………………………….

Opening of Bank Account…………………………………………………………………………………..

Participatory Rural Appraisal………………………………………………………………………………

Training on the development of CNRMP…………………………………………………………….

Visits…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Arghyam……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

World Bank…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Documentary……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Boundary and LULC Maps…………………………………………………………………………………..

Project Implementation………………………………………………………………………………………

Plans and Estimates…………………………………………………………………………………………….

The Government of Meghalaya with financial aid from the World Bank is implementing the Meghalaya Community Led Landscape Management Project (MCCLMP). The project will cover the entire state of Meghalaya and implementation of community led plans will be rolled out in a phase manner throughout the state. The Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) will facilitate community-led planning by providing support, technical inputs and funding.

The project is intended to strengthen community-led natural resources management in selected landscapes within the 7 districts of the state. This would be achieved through a variety of planning, capacity building, and on-the-ground interventions to promote the conservation, sustainable use of natural resources, social inclusion and community mobilization; building traditional knowledge and learning, mapping of natural resources management; strengthening the community institutions and creating linkage with financial institutions and community organizations.

The project interventions will include preparation of community led natural resource management plans. The CLLMP has the following three components:

1. Strengthening Knowledge and Capacity of Communities for Natural Resources Management

2. Community-Led Landscape Planning and Implementation

3. Project Management and Governance

The project objective is “to manage and conserve the natural resources, especially forests, soil and water sources, in a manner that supports the financial and physical well-being of communities in the State”

Introduction

Kyrphei village falls under Mawphlang C&RD Block of East Khasi Hills in the state of Meghalaya. The village lies at a distance of 18 kilometers from block headquarters Mawphlang and 42 kilometers from district and state capital Shillong. It falls under Hima Mylliem Syiemship with a total geographical area of 1210.70 hectares and a total population of 734 with 146 households.

First Contact

The first contact with Kyrphei was established with Wilfringson Umdor, the village Secretary at Mawphlang Block Office, in December 2018. He provided the team with the initial prerequisite details. The village was under the North Eastern Space Application Centre (NESAC) list of highly degraded villages. Some of the case findings were:

1. There are 146 HHs, 59 HHs under BPL category.

2. VEC is actively performing.

3. Sone quarrying is prevalent in certain areas in the village.

4. There are five Community Forests. One river and six springs utilized for drinking purposes.

5. Cash crops like potatoes, cabbages and tapioca are cultivated here.

Sensitization Programme & Ground Truthing

The first sensitization programme was conducted in January 2019 at the Community Hall of the village. The programme was presided over by the headman of the village, Bah Nongbet. Approximately 150 residents attended the sensitization programme. The DPM of East Khasi Hills, Mr. Pynshngain Rymmai gave an introduction to the Community Led Landscape Management Project (CLLMP) and its various nuances that the community and the CLLMP team should carry out throughout the course of the project. The Village Natural Resource Management Committee (VNRMC) was already established in December 2018 and thereafter formation of the Community Natural Resource Management Plan (CNRMP) was to be prepared.

Formation of VNRMC

The executive committee of the Dorbar Shnong of Kyrphei after a meeting formed the members of VNRMC on the 28th of December, 2018.

Sl No	Name in Full	Gender	Age	Education	Designation	Occupation	Community	Religion	Contact
1	Biangbor Rynjah	M	31	Higher Secondary	President	Daily Wager	Khasi	Khasi	9856708589
2	Kierlang Nongbet	F	27	B.A	Secretary	-	Khasi	Khasi	9615611776
3	Lakyntiew Rynjah	F	33	Secondary	Treasurer	Daily Wager	Khasi	Khasi	8974593515
4	Just Rynjah	M	27	B.A	Member	Daily Wager	Khasi	Khasi	8413076602
5	Pilastar Nongbet	M	27	Higher Secondary	Member	Daily Wager	Khasi	Christian	8131998026
6	Rishadalin Nongbet	F	25	B.A	Member	Teacher	Khasi	Khasi	7085913834
7	Anisha Sohlang	F	24	B.A	Member	Daily Wager	Khasi	Christian	8131949486

Opening of Bank Account

The opening of bank account was initiated after the village signed the EOI (Expression of Interest), VGA (Village Grant Agreement) and the Citizen’s Green Charter. Kyrphei opened their bank account on the 13^th of March 2019.

Miss Balarihun Kharpuri, Programme Associate (Finance and Procurement) of East Khasi Hills, CLLMP, conducted the Simple Book Keeping Training on the 20th of September at Kyrphei village.

PRA Exercise

The Participatory Rural Appraisal exercise aims to incorporate the knowledge and opinions of the community in the planning and management of development projects and programmes.PRA exercise at Kyrphei was conducted on the 30th of December 2019. There was a total of 30 residents who took part in this exercise.

Findings:

- Main agriculture produce here are potatoes, tapioca, yam and cabbages. - Horticultural produce like pears, papaya and berries (sohphie) are also grown - There are five Community Forests. They are protected.

- Around 10-15 paddy fields are present in Kyrphei

- There are 4 stone quarries in the village (Lumsohkhlur, Mawdnung, Mawbynna, Sohnung) - There are around 6-8 Springs/Water bodies used for drinking and domestic use. - There are two rivers (Phud Nomblang, Umthod) and three streams.

Training on the development of the Community Natural Resource Management Plan (CNRMP)

A comprehensive one-day training and existing CNRMP review for the VNRMC executive members under all the villages under East Khasi Hills was organised on the 2nd of December, 2019 by the members of the DPMU. A copy of the environmental templates along with the boundary maps were also circulated to the members and explanation to the templates were made accordingly.

Since Kyrphei has already completed some of the work, they took this chance to review their current plan as well as map out new interventions for the next phase of the project.

Arghyam Visit

Along with members of the SPMU and other district team members, Arghyam; a Bangalore based organisation with specialisation in water security visited Kyrphei village on the 11th of July, 2019. An interactive session with the residents was held. They also visited the completed sites (Check Dam, Afforestation, Community Nursery, and Spring Chamber). Thereafter, lunch and a small commemoration programme were held.

World Bank Visit

Mr. Hisham Abdo, Country Operations Manager of the World Bank visited Kyrphei on the 20th of September 2019. The Block Development Officer of Mawphlang and her technical team were also in attendance. A cultural song and dance performance by the residents of Kyrphei was presented which was followed by a review of the work done by CLLMP in the village. He spent some time talking to the people and listening to some of the grievances faced by them. He then visited the sites of Langeitsim (Spring) and Wahjatper (Check dam).

Documentary

Subsequently, a documentary was shot at Kyrphei village by the Knowledge Management personnel of East Khasi Hills, DPMU. Shooting of the documentary began in August 2019 and it was released in 19th September, 2019. It featured the completed works of Kyrphei village (Check Dam, Afforestation, Community Nursery, Spring Chamber) with the Secretary of the village, Bah Wilfringson Umdor speaking about how CLLMP came about in the village. The documentary was uploaded in YouTube and it was screened at Kyrphei on the 19th of September, 2019.

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Spring Chamber	Langeitsim	₹ 25,000	19-Jun-19	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Check Dam	Wahjatper	₹ 95,784	19-Jun-19	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Community Nursery	Lum Kyrphei	₹ 21,649	19-Jun-19	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Spring Chamber	Mawlyngruh	₹ 86,686	19-Oct-20	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Spring shed Development	Lum Kyrphei	₹ 21,649	19-Jun-19	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Check Dam Cum Waste Water Treatment	Umkyrphei	₹ 5,82,265	9-Apr-21	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Recharge Pits	Lumkyrphei & Umsohkhlur	₹ 3,27,800	15-Aug-20	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Soak pit	Wahjaitper	₹ 33,235	6-Sep-19	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Concrete Cement Footpath	Langeitsim	₹ 41,200	19-Aug-19	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Gully Plug and Loose Boulder Check Dam	Wah Jatper	₹ 1,58,963	4-Oct-21	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Community Nursery	K. Nangroi	₹ 38,265	16-Sep-21	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Community Nursery	B. Shaphrang	₹ 38,265	16-September-21	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Protection Wall	Phodumblang	₹ 1,02,940	6-May-22	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Spring Chamber	Laitdkhew	₹ 83,575	23-Jun-22	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Spring Chamber	Lawsohkrot	₹ 83,575	23-Jun-22	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Spring Chamber	Lumkyrphei	₹ 83,575	06-May-22	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Spring Chamber	Mawkhenrim	₹ 83,575	23-June-2022	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Spring Chamber	Wahdhew	₹ 1,09,254	23-Jun-22	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Fire Control Work	Lumkyrphei	₹ 1,59,280	28-Mar-22	Completed

Name of Intervention	Site Name	Amount Sanctioned	Date of Completion	Work Status
Fire Control Work	Weistew	₹ 5,00,000	To be updated	Ongoing