The Umiam Lake has turned an unnatural shade of dirty green. Fish have died in the Lukha and Luna rivers and recently in the Ranikor River. Up to this point we are still speculating about the cause of mass death of fish pending a final report from the respective scientific laboratories. There is something fishy about the sudden death of fish in our rivers. And it coincides with the launching of the Integrated Basin Development and Livelihoods Programme (IBDLP). If our major livelihoods are going to be located around river basins as propounded by Dr Mukul Sangma’s Government then we better ensure that our rivers are in good health. Meghalaya’s newest department the Water Resources Department must now gear up to test the quality of water in all our rivers. If a large number of our water resources are in poor health then the State Aquaculture Mission could face serious setbacks.
Meghalaya also has no laws governing the use of water resources. It’s a free for all and anyone can do anything to the rivers with impunity. Commercial fishing is allowed by the District Councils which lease out the rivers to individuals at a price. But the Councils have no regulatory mechanisms. In short, they earn money by leasing out the state’s resources but are not in a position to hold anyone accountable for misuse of those resources. It is commonplace for people to use herbs and roots to stun the fish and then net a huge amount with little effort. All these activities have carried on unchallenged. Now with the setting up of the Water Resources Department the Government is expected to make its presence felt over the use of water bodies and catchments. Rivers and catchments are common property resources and not private properties. Water, although a renewable resource is also turning out to be a scarce commodity. The State Government ought to take cognisance of this fact and come up with measures to prevent these water bodies from becoming toxic. Moreover, climate change is bound to take a toll on our water quality and quantity. All our rivers are rain fed. With the rains dwindling every year we are likely to face greater water scarcity during the winter months. Our rivers are the feeders for most of the water supply projects. But if the rivers are suddenly poisoned due to unregulated human activity then where does the state get its water from? This is a serious issue that the Water Resources Department needs to engage with sooner than later.