R.S. Mooshahary at the book-release function in Shillong on Monday. Picture by Evanjoplin Dkhar

Shillong, May 20: Meghalaya Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary today termed the state the “cave capital of India” and said the numerous caves in the state could be utilised as places for breeding bats.

Mooshahary was releasing a book Caves for the Uninitiated authored by Bryan D. Kharpran, a pioneer in exploring the caves in the state.

He said recently the United Nationshad sent an advisory wherein it asked people to go back to insect eating in view of the high amount of protein they are endowed with.

“The UN advisory exhorted people to eat insects like grasshoppers. I think in a tribal society, we have all eaten insects. I feel that we should use the caves for breeding bats as they (bats) also possess high amount of protein,” the governor said.

Kharpran, who is also the general secretary of the Meghalaya Adventurers’ Association (MAA), said the main idea behind authoring the book is to catch the imagination of the young people and encourage them to take up caving.

“A lot of people do not really know what a cave is. The book is to educate the layman, especially the youth. The young minds are important as the future of the caves depend on them,” the author said while informing that the book had to be rewritten in a fictional story form.

Adventure and conservation of the environment go hand-in- hand, Kharpran said. He said till date around 850 out of 1,350 caves have been totally or partially explored in the state.

“We have many beautiful caves in the world here. The potential for caving here is huge,” Kharpran, who has authored two books previously, said.