By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Save Wah Umkhrah Task Force comprising several NGOs, the Dorbar Shnong, KHADC and the Mylliem Syiemship etc., met at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Wednesday to chalk out a plan of action for World Earth Day which falls on April 22.
The day being a Sunday the Task Force, chaired by Toki Blah of ICARE, decided to have a mass rally on April 21 instead.
Red FM which is a major radio partner will be launching a slogan competition for the Save Wah Umkhrah campaign. First, second and third prize winners will receive a cash award of Rs 5000, Rs 3000, and Rs 2000 respectively. The winners would be declared on April 21.
April 21st is meant to be a mass awareness campaign for cleaning the Umkhrah and Umshyrpi rivers for which a master plan is being chalked out by the Task Force.
“The Save Wah Umkhrah and Umshyrpi campaign is not a one-off event. We have a short-, medium- and long- term goal involving several stakeholders and a clear action plan by each of the stakeholders. The Government is partnering with us in this monumental project,” Toki Blah stated.
Educational institutions, hospitals, garage owners and shopkeepers of Shillong city, particularly those residing along the Umkhrah and its catchments which start right from Madanrting upto the Umkaliar river have been called to participate in this mass rally which would subsequently lead to a mass clean-up drive.
Dr Jemino Mawthoh, NEHU who also leads the NSS unit says, “Cleaning the Umkhrah and Umshyrpi means that we have to restrict the inflow of garbage and sewage into these two rivers. For this we need an effective garbage management system and strict implementation of civic rules which prohibit the direct flow of sewage into the rivers.”
Talking to this reporter, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Sanjay Goyal, who is supporting the Campaign said, “We expect active participation from every citizen of Shillong. If we claim to love our city the least we can do is to save its rivers from dying an untimely death.”
Goyal urged the media houses to come forward and lend their space to ratchet up this campaign for saving the Umkhrah and Umshyrpi from becoming sewers.
