Meghalaya village promotes itself as eco-friendly destination to attract tourists

Tucked away in the lap of nature and accompanied by the beautiful landscapes, rugged terrains and a dense forest, Aminda Rangsa, a village located about 25 km from Tura, is a perfect getaway for tourists.

The villagers are making a diligent effort to ensure cleanliness in the village to portray it as a tourist attraction.

A village elder said, "In 2010, the Nokma of our village (village chief) and president and secretary of the village development committee motivated us to come together to ensure cleanliness. Since then we have been making effort to keep our village clean."

In 2011, the village bagged the Nirmal Gram Puraskar that motivated the villagers to come together to emulate Mawlynlong village of East Khasi Hills, which has left a mark as the Asia's cleanest village.

In an endeavour to create an identity of their own, the villagers are also working to set up a heritage museum.

Not only this, a wood and stone-carving artiste Handum Marak is also giving shape to a park at Aminda Rangsa.

Handum Marak, an artist, said, "I wanted to contribute for my village with my creative expression, so I decided to do wood carving in the park, so that people can come and see the creations. I feel that people will be attracted to our village, which will help us in different ways."

People from other parts of Garo Hills also visit the village to buy Marak's specially designed stone and wood crafts.

Aminda Rangsa village and its inhabitants are truly an inspiration to keep the environment clean for a healthier life.