Shilong: Stakeholders in Meghalaya are calling for tighter environmental compliance and ongoing on-site monitoring of ongoing development projects along the Umngot River’s banks due to growing concerns about the river’s rapid degradation.
Due to unchecked construction and alleged negligence by implementing agencies, the Umngot, which was once hailed as not only Meghalaya‘s but also India’s cleanest and most picture-perfect rivers, is currently experiencing severe ecological distress.
The river has long served as a symbol of the state’s natural heritage, and the Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum (MRTF) has called on the state government to show a stronger commitment to protecting it.
Although developmental activities are important, the forum emphasised that environmental balance must not be sacrificed for them. It cautioned that the declining state of the river endangers local ecosystems as well as the means of subsistence for communities that rely on tourism and associated industries.
The ongoing construction of the Shillong-Dawki Road project, which is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is thought to be the cause of the damage. Stakeholders claim that during the project’s implementation, crucial environmental protections were violated, resulting in extensive siltation and pollution in the Umngot and neighbouring Wahrew rivers.
The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), the implementing agency, has reportedly not responded adequately to repeated requests from local organisations, such as the Tourism Society of Darrang Elaka.
Even though the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board recently fined NHIDCL Rs 15 lakh, local conservationists think that the punishment won’t undo the harm. To guarantee complete environmental compliance, they are requesting daily progress reports, on-site inspections and 24-hour supervision.
They worry that Meghalaya may permanently lose one of its most recognisable natural treasures if ongoing monitoring and immediate corrective action are not taken.
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