By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Marking the world Environment Day with a heavy heart, renowned columnist Rev HH Mohrmen observed that if the government falls back on introducing and implementing strict laws to check unregulated mining, the state will witness many dead rivers as is the case of Jaintia Hills.
Terming Jaintia Hills as the ‘Land of dead rivers’, Mohrmen said that the environment in Jaintia Hills is degrading to a large extend and this is evident from the dead and acidic rivers and streams ultimately leading to the dead of aquatic species caused due to unabated and uncheck mining activities.
Addressing the students of Lady Keane’s College on the occasion of World Environment Day at the college auditorium here on Wednesday, the columnist said “The state has no regulation to check mining owing to the fact that the state enjoys the so-called special consideration from the centre keeping in mind that mining is the traditional practice of the people which should be interfered.”
Questioning the letter sent by the ministry of forest and environment giving special consideration to the state from the centre making forest acts inapplicable in the state as Meghalaya falls under the 6th schedule, Mohrmen said “This letter has no legal sanction thereby making all forest and mining acts applicable in the state.”
Calling upon the people to do away with the idea that the state enjoys a special consideration, the columnist said “It is time for the people to realise the dangers that awaits from unregulated mining,” adding that all these kinds of mining is not going to do any good to the state and “We should see that the government implement every law failing of which, the whole of Meghalaya will witness the same fate as Jaintia Hills.”
Mohrmen also mentioned that the Land Transfer System has also gave the individuals the liberty to exploit their land in whichever way they want of which the government has no say in it, “And this has led to mass destruction of the forest land and the rivers.”
Highlighting the present scenario of Jaintia Hills, Mohrmen stated that currently, different activities are being carried out which included coal mining, mining by the Cement Companies and mining of Limestone in Nongtalang for Export to Bangladesh.
Due to mining, many rivers suffered an unnatural dead which included Kupli and its tributaries, Myntdu and its tributaries, Lukha and Lunar, Waikhyrwi, River Kwai and all the other major rivers whereby not even a single aquatic life is seen in these rivers.
Reiterating his stand, Mohrmen said “We are not against mining but the way mining activities is being carried out in Jaintia Hills is hampering sustainable development,” adding that the emergence of 8-9 cement factories within the radius of 5kms is a threat to the biodiversity.