SHILLONG: Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum (MTDF), a critical mass of socially and environmentally conscious intelligentsia engaged in promoting responsible tourism, has called for people's participation to this year's autumn festival beginning with the carnival scheduled for November 1 next. MTDF's drum beating festival followed by the guitar ensemble has won it worldwide accolades. This year the Forum has chosen the theme "Environment and Culture for Tourism" as its brand building exercise. Drawing inspiration from the International Ecotourism Society (TIES) definition of ecotourism which is "responsible travel to natural areas that conserve the environment and improves the well-being of local people," MTDF this time has instituted a cash award of Rs 1 lakh for the cleanest locality within a 'dong' or 'shnong' in Greater Shillong urban conglomerate. Judges who have been selected to visit various localities of Greater Shillong will grade them according to their levels of cleanliness, MTDF president RG Lyngdoh said. "The idea is to make this a People's Festival. If Goa can have its annual carnival, then why not Shillong? Our people have to imbibe the culture of tourism and leverage from the brand name of Shillong which is today a favoured tourist destination," Mr Lyngdoh added November 1 will see tableaux prepared by different localities, schools and institutions including the seng samla and seng longkmie of various localities. The best 'float' will get a prize money of Rs 70,000, the second Rs 50,000 and the third Rs 30,000. There will also be ten consolation prizes of Rs 10,000 each. This should get the localities excited as it will not only give them something to be proud of but also some money for improvement of the dong/shnong, Mr Lyngdoh said. The criteria for judging each locality will be convenient and efficient facilities for collection and disposal of garbage, presence of public amenities, effective sewage and waste disposal system and effective management of the various wings under the Dorbar such as the women and youth wings among others. Media partners Radio Ooh la la will be generating the buzz through their popular jingles in the voice of the now very popular "Bah Manik" to activate the localities and encourage them to actively participate in the annual tourism festival. The Department of Tourism and Forests and Environment are actively collaborating to promote this event. "At the end of the day, MTDF is only a catalyst to promote ecotourism which is Meghalaya's strength and to combine tourism with environment awareness and conservation. We desire that the tourists who visit Meghalaya are ecologically and environmentally conscious travelers," Mr Lyngdoh concluded.