By Our Reporter
Shillong: Much has been written and spoken about the Wah Umkhrah. What remains is concerted civil society action to restore the river to its former glory.
The Umkhrah river once known for its crystal clear waters and vibrant aquatic life has now turned into a mega drain. Many organisations have tried to clean up the river or prepared plans for its total clean up but all such attempts have become short-lived exercises due to the absence of convergence among all stakeholders.
On Friday, ICARE organised a meeting of several NGOs, comprising KSU, FKJGP, MWA, Khasi Hills District Council, Lympung Ki Seng Kynthei, Peoples’ Learning Centre, Ex-servicemen’s organisation, NSS, Centre for Governance, Water Foundation, President Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong, Ka Pla Iew Club, some Government departments and the Deputy Commissioner East Khasi Hills, as a last ditch effort to rejuvenate the Umkhrah and to work towards this aim on a sustained basis.
Welcoming the stakeholders, Toki Blah, Presidents ICARE made an impassioned plea that all present should join hands for the Save Umkhrah campaign. Blah said that the Umkhrah is not just a river but it is also part of our culture. “If the Umkhrah dies, our culture will also die,” he observed.
Nicholas Kharnami of the Pla Iew Club made a graphic presentation showing the entire length of the Umkhrah river right from its source at Demthring which is roughly 5 km long and the extent of pollution along its entire stretch. Kharnami showed how sewerage and septic tanks were allowed to flow directly into the river by callous residents.
He said the river has now reduced in size and something drastic needed to be done to restore the river to its old glorious self. Taking a verse from centenarian Silverine Swer’s Ode to the Umkhrah which says, I am the river and the river is me/If it dies I die with it, Kharnami urged the audience to get into action immediately since much time is already lost.
Water Foundation President and former Vice President IFAD, Phrang Roy pointed out that the Umkhrah is not the only river that is polluted. He showed a picture of the Singapore river in Singapore which had turned as murky as the Umkhrah but which was revived through technical interventions and civil society action. Other rivers in Europe and elsewhere too are polluted but are reclaimed Mr Roy said, adding that it is not to late to restore the Umkhrah
Ms Darilyn Syiem of Peoples’ Learning Centre (PLC) who had done river walks in several countries as result of an environmental initiative said she had tried to bring several stakeholders for cleaning up the Umkhrah and had also approached the Planning Department of the Government for funds allocation. She expressed happiness that more stakeholders have now joined hands in the same mission.
Representing the KHADC, Antonio War said the District Council had allocated Rs one crore for involving all the Dorbar Shnong along the Umkhrah river in the clean-up Umkhrah campaign.
All who attended the meeting were passionate about their commitment to the action-oriented meeting. A Task Force under the leadership of ICARE was formed for carrying forward the objectives of ridding the Umkhrah of filth and stench and are ready to walk the last mile in this effort.