SHILLONG, Feb 24 - Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Monday said the monoliths at Mawkyrduk in South West Khasi Hills resemble the Stonehenge of the United Kingdom and promised government support to promote the site.
Sangma paid a visit to the site where scores of monoliths are found, and forms an integral part of the local culture and heritage. �You will be surprised to see the similarity this place has with Stonehenge of the United Kingdom,� Sangma said during his visit.
The Chief Minister moved around the site and clicked photographs of the monoliths on his mobile phone.
The site is being preserved by the Arts and Culture Department as a heritage site. A plaque at the site dating from 2011-12 states that an amount of Rs 8 lakh has been earmarked to protect the site.
However, though the site is impressive, it has hardly been promoted as a tourist site. Apart from the monoliths at Mawkyrduk, there are several areas in the state which have similar monoliths.
�This place has a lot of heritage to it. This must be kept and developed. The world should see the kind of beauty this place has,� Sangma said, while assuring government support. �As a government, we have decided to promote this area and promote this heritage site,� the CM said.