SOHMYNTING VILLAGE REPORT

Report of Sohmynting Village

District: West JaintiaHills

Block: Thadlaskein Block

Date: 22^nd March 2023

COMMUNITY LED LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT PROJECT

$D:\LOGO\IMG-20200618-WA0010.jpg$

COMMUNITY LED LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT PROJECT (CLLMP)

The Government of Meghalaya with financial help from the World Bank is implementing the Meghalaya Community Led Landscape Management Project (MCLLMP). The project covers the entire state of Meghalaya, and implementation of community-led plans are rolled out in a phased 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:

Strengthening Knowledge and Capacity of Communities for Natural Resources Management
Community-Led Landscape Planning and Implementation
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

Sohmynting Village is located in Thadlaskein C. D Block, in West Jaintia Hills district in the state of Meghalaya. Agriculture is the main profession of this village and does not have any industrial development. The People of this area is very peaceful without taking much issues and problems to think about the external affairs. They are confined to what they have been doing and comfortable with their daily schedule.

Village History

According to the village history, Sohmynting has originated since the 15^th Century. It is the oldest place in Jaintia Hills District. There are evidences like the sacred groves, Holy River (Wah mynsen) which endured until now. The first settler of this village was from the title family of ‘’Pyrtuh ‘’. Till today, ruling and organising are controlled by the ‘’Pyrtuh’’and the others who lived in this village also joined hands to unite with it (Pyrtuh) for betterment of the society.

The community are mainly into farming as they work on paddy cultivation, plantation of vegetables etc. And later after many years,the village was extended to the large society and people came to start their family. Education system was built and the household has been extended to 758 households with lots of population.

VILLAGE PROFILE

Sohmynting Village is located in Thadlaskein C.D Block, in West Jaintia Hills District Meghalaya, India. It is located 20km from Block Office and 10km from the district headquarter, Jowai. The traditional land tenure is Daloiship. The village is inhabited by Pnar Community with 758 households and a population of 3990. The gender ratio in the village is 1962 males and 2028 females. The major occupations of the people in the village were farmer, daily wages, Teachers, business and government services. Public transport facilities to and from village is (local taxi, tourist cab, sumo).

As per the data collected, 758 HH uses fire wood for meeting the fuel needs with an average consumption of 9000 kg per household per annum and 270 HH use LPG with an average of 3 cylinders per household per annum. The village does not have sites of tourist interest. The main institution of the village is the Village Council, School Managing Committee (SMC) and were functional, 6 Self Help Group (SHGs) are there in the village. There is no Water and Sanitation Committee. Government Water supply availability is not there in the village. There is no CHC at present. There are 13 Primary Schools in the village.

$C:\Users\User\Downloads\1. Communities Inhabiting.png$

$C:\Users\User\Downloads\2. Occupation.png$

The major occupations of the people in the village are farmer, daily wages, teachers, business and government services.

$C:\Users\User\Downloads\4. Land Use Pattern.png$

LAND

Open Forest-157.15 Ha

Water Bodies- 23.11 Ha

Agri-horti-408.74 Ha

Degraded Land- 1510.82 Ha

WATER BODIES

Springs- 7

Stream-5

River- 1

$C:\Users\User\Downloads\3. Key constraints in the Village.png$

Safe drinking Water

Construction canal

Irrigation System

$C:\Users\User\Downloads\5. Environmental Challenge.png$

Degraded Land

Water Shortage in Winter Session

Water bodies affected

Activities

GROUND TRUTHING AND SENSITIZATION PROGRAMME

The Village has been adopted by CLLMP on 7^th December 2019. The CGC, EOI and VGA was signed on the 11^th December 2019. As per the template submitted, the village meeting consists of 7 members although there were more members. The meeting consist of a village Head man, Secretary and a Treasurer. There were women representatives in the Village meeting. The community decided to have a meeting with the entire village members and discuss about the project, formation of VNRMC, EC and Village facilitators.

FINDINGS

1. There is water shortage in winter season

2. Timber has been reduced over the years due to commercial use.

3. The community has to buy fuel wood from other villages due to insufficient of wood in their village.

4. Water bodies are facing threat due to soil waste, domestic waste water, siltation.

5. There is no proper facilities for irrigation hence the community members have to depend on rainy season.

6. There is no irrigation system in the village.

7. The cause of degradation is due to deforestation.

LIST OF NATURAL RESOURCES OF KONGTOKPARAVILLAGE

The list of indigenous tree species are – Dieng kseh, Myrica esculenta (sohphai), Sohiong (Prunus nepalensis), Sohlyngi, dieng chyrngan (Schuma wallichii), Sapriam (Psidium guajava), dieng sning,dienglin (Betula alnoides).
The Valuable grasses of the village are- Kdait, shken khian,symblang, tyndoo wapung, sla thylliang,yootem.
Commercially valued tree- Dieng chyrngan (schma wallichii), dieng kseh, dienglien (Betula alnoides).

Formation of VNRMC

The formation of VNRMC EC members and VCF were been done on the 7^th December 2019, wherein the community decided to select the representatives from VEC, SHG and other village functionaries.

Listed below are the members of the VNRMC:

Village Natural Resource Management Committee (VNRMC)
Sl No	Name in Full	Gender M/F	Age (in Yrs)	Education	Designation	Occupation	Community	Contact No and email address
1	Teimi Rymbai	M	30	SSLC Passed	P.C	Labour	Pnar	7005184849
2	Kampher Langshiang	M	38	IX Passed	P.C	Labour	Pnar	7005504227
3	Ialamdeibha Pyrtuh	F	44	SSLC Passed	P.C	Labour	Pnar	6009303342

Village Facilitators (VCF)

Sl No	Name in Full	Gender M/F	Age (Yrs)	Education	Area of specialisation/ focus (forests, water, soil, accounts, environmental and social safeguards, knowledge management, GIS)	Trained under CLLMP (Yes/ No?) if Yes, date training was received	Contact No and email address
1	Mrs Deisbunki Kyndait	F	29	XII Passed	M & E	No	9612081848
2	Mr Winchester Kassar	M	24	XII Passed	Social	No	9366717942
3	Mr Jerry A Suting	M	24	XII Passed	Environment	No	7005670081

PRA EXERCISE

PRA exercise was conducted on the 15^th November 2019 at Sohmynting Village, Thadlaskein Block, WJH.

Plan Estimate:

The plan estimate is done once field engineer along with the Environment Management pay a visit to the proposed sites for inspection. On approval, the plan estimate is being carried out further by the district field engineer.

3. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates		Plan Estimate	Work Status
1	Afforestation	Thad Sariang 1	Lt 25. 451287	L 92.098333	Rs.1,66,170.00	Implemented
2	Afforestation	Thad Sariang 2	Lt 25.450952	L 92.099022	Rs.1,66,170.00	Implemented
3	Recharge Pit	Umtlang Dongwah	Lt. 25.43548	L 92.138843	Rs.27,794.00	Implemented
4	Community Nursery	Umtyngab	Lt. 25.440656	L 92.135418	Rs.1,13,960.00	Implemented
5	Gully Plug cum Canal	Luti Nongbah	Lt 25.445402	L 92.14209	Rs.1,76,612.00	Implemented
6	Dug Out Pond cum fish & agri cultivation	Umtyngab	Lt 25.440429	L 92.135685	Rs.4,97,653.00	Implemented
7	Spring Chamber	Umsiej	Lt 25.44274	L 92.13669	Rs.1,43,422.00	Implemented
8	Agro-Horticulture	Thad Sariang	Lt 25.451252	L 92.098366	Rs. 1,06,150.00	Implemented
9	Agro-Forestry	Mooiong	Lt 25.459833	L 92.099204	Rs. 1,11,250.00	Implemented
10	Vermi Composting	Umtyngab	Lt 25.440536	L 92.135219	Rs. 3,01,619.00	Implemented
11	Canal cum Retaining Wall	Luti Nongbah	Lt.25.444852	L 92.143255	Rs.2,50,265.00	Implemented

4. FUND STATUS

SL NO	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount Estimate	Work Status
1	Community Nursery	Umtyngab	Elevation: 1494.8+5m	Rs.1,13,960.00	Implemented

SL NO	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount Estimate	Work Status
2	Dug out pond cum fish & agri cultivation	Umtyngab	Elevation:1497.28+7m	Rs.4,97,653.00	Implemented

SL NO	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount Estimate	Work Status
3	Spring Chamber	Umsiej	Elevation:1486. 17+14m	Rs.1,43,422.00	Implemented

SL NO	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount Estimate	Work Status
4	Afforestation	Thad Sariang 1	Elevation:1175.81+16m	Rs.1,66,170.00	Implemented

SL NO	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount Estimate	Work Status
5	Agro forestry	Mooiong	Elevation:1143.0+5m	Rs.1,11,250.00	Implemented

SL NO	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount Estimate	Work Status
6	Agro horticulture	Thad Sariang	Elevation:1175.23+6m	Rs.1,06,15 0.00	Implemented

SL NO	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount Estimate	Work Status
7	Gully plug cum canal	Luit nongbah	Elevation:1478.94+11m	Rs.1,76,612.00	Implemented

SL NO	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount Estimate	Work Status
8	Canal cum Retaining wall	Luti Nongbah	Elevation:1466.81+8m	Rs.2,50,265.00	Implemented