Rhododendron trek opened in Shillong

Staff Correspondent

Shillong, Feb 24: The Department of Forests and Environment opened up Rhododendron trek route in Shillong on Friday.

C. Budh, PCCF and HoFF, Meghalaya, while iugurating the Rhododendron trekking route at 2 ½ Mile, Upper Shillong said the trekking route was an old horse road used by the British to travel 2 ½ mile to Sangmein.

School children from various schools participated in the trekking. The trekking route which has many beautiful Rhododendron flowering trees, attracts ture lovers and children to feel tranquility and serenity in pristine ture. The route covers 6 kms of length and starts from 2 ½ m and ends at Sangmein.

The Department has opened this trekking route for creating awareness among the public on the importance of forests, its role in providing water and also to encourage school children to develop interest in trekking for mental health and physical fitness. The trek route remains open from October to April on every Wednesday, Saturday and Sundays, but no trekking is allowed after the sunset.

Littering along the trek route is strictly prohibited and trekkers are instructed not to throw lighted materials like cigarette, beedi etc in the forest and not to kill wild animals and birds, which is a punishable offence under Forest Acts.