Meghalaya’s natural resources are quickly becoming its biggest curse. Look at what the relentless coal mining in virgin forest land has done to the environment. Not only that; the repercussions are felt across the state. Today, those who have nothing to do with coal and limestone mining are paying the heaviest price. The national highways 40 and 44 are lifelines for us and for other states in the North East. But the heavy vehicles carrying essential commodities are minimal when compared to coal trucks. Unfortunate passengers who have to travel along this highway suffer from sensory overload caused by looking at unlimited trucks. How long can this exploitation of natural resources by a few at the cost of the many carry on? Meghalaya’s forest cover is depleting and if a serious study is carried out the facts might be even more frightening. How much of ground water do we really have? How many aquifers have been destroyed through limestone and coal mining activities? How much of carbon footprints have been left behind by the humungous number of vehicles passing through the state each day? Do we have enough forests to offset these carbon footprints?
Environment and climate change has never been a serious talking point in Meghalaya. A lazy state keeps promising its citizens the blessed “Mining Policy” and has been doing so for the last five years almost as if it is a gift bestowed on us citizens when it is a legislation that is already past its time. How long can people keep taking this bunkum from elected representatives? The only way to make democracy work is to keep the elected representatives and the government on its toes. But once in five years is not good enough for holding the MLAs and government responsible. We need to develop a system where a yearly or six-monthly report card must be presented to the constituents. The Assembly has failed us citizens since no meaningful debates take place there. A citizens’ assembly or citizens’ court is the need of the hour. Non-performers have to be booted out and others elected. People are impatient with rhetoric and angry when MLAs spin yarns instead of getting on with their work.
The question to ask is: How concerned are our elected representatives about the changing climate patterns? How informed are they about climate debates happening across the country and the world? Granted that MLAs supported by the coal lobby will continue to support unregulated and unrelenting mining, but should all the other MLAs sing the same tune? If the environment collapses as it seems to be doing now and which is manifested in freaky weather conditions, will the MLAs hold themselves responsible? In the 2013 election we have to vote candidates who have a vision on the environment and who will have the courage to put a moratorium on coal mining.
