By H H Mohrmen
The declaration by Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, that Nokrek and Narpuh would be designated as eco- sensitive zones is music to the ears of everyone. This will go a long way in protecting the environment and the eco-system in the state. The proposal which will hopefully see the light of the day soon will also help mitigate climate change in whatever small way it can. This is one very important step in the right direction for the state of Meghalaya in particular because we have already lost a large swathes of forest cover (what was known as un-classed forest) near the Narpuh sanctuary to land sharks. The proposal to declare it as an eco-sensitive zone will help protect the remaining dense forests for posterity. It may also not be out of place to mention that Narpuh is the only remaining sub-tropical forest a large part of which is still intact and untouched by human activity.
It is a well known fact that Narpuh is one of the famous reserved forests with huge reserves of biodiversity and wildlife in the state. It was recorded that Jaintia hills district has a high biodiversity of wildlife. More than 400 species of birds, at least 120 species of mammals which includes 37 species of bats, 30 species of carnivores, 7 species of ungulates and 30 species of rodents (Dr A. Chowdhury, 1999) are endemic to this forest. It is also the source of the three major rivers of Jaintia hills, ka Kupli, ka Apha and ka Lukha two of which are victims of coal mining activities and Apha is a store house of aquatic life and a fishermen’s paradise. The proposed eco-sensitive zone which is also connected with the Boraile reserve of Assam is home to the Slow Loris, and hundreds of species of birds and mammals. In one of my trips to the area I chanced to see a baby turtle and the back of a deer and many birds and butterflies as well.
Narpuh forest is the only remaining sub-tropical forest in the Khasi and Jaintia hills area of Meghalaya. It is also the only forest area which is under the jurisdiction of the State Government Forest Department. It is also important to note that of all the forests in Meghalaya only less than five percent is controlled by the Government; the rest are owned by private parties, clans and communities. Therefore protecting and preserving Narpuh is imperative for the state and its people. Narpuh also connects with the Borail reserved forest of Assam, so by declaring the area as eco sensitive it is going to benefit both the forests in the two neighbouring states.
We have seen with our own eyes the pollution that is going even in the area adjacent to the Narpuh forest. The news about the loss of aquatic lives in the river Lukha to pollution is one of the major concerns of the Government and the community. If there is still hope to reclaim Kupli and Lukha, protecting and preserving the Narpuh forest which is the source of these two dead rivers is one of the answers. Narpuh forest is the source and the store house of clean and fresh water; hence if the forest is protected it will help replenish fresh and pure water to the Lukha and Kupli at source. The effect of fresh water which is being discharged from Narpuh can be seen even to the naked eye every year in the annual cycle that is going on in the river Lukha. Now since 2007, at the onset of every winter Lukha changes its colour to sky blue every year and people wonder why this strange phenomenon happens. We do not have the answer because we were asking the wrong question. Perhaps the right question is why did the polluted Lukha change to its natural colour every summer? And why do we sometimes see even fishes from the valley in Bangladesh swimming upstream towards the river Lukha during summer in spite of the fact that the river is polluted and no aquatic lives can be sustained during winter?
The simple answer that even a layman in the village can comprehend is that during the summer fresh water from Narpuh is playing the trick. At the onset of every summer the rain-fed Narpuh forest discharges fresh water to the river, thereby making it clean again and at times even fishes from downstream and from the tributaries of Lukha which are not affected by pollution swim in the river again. The fishes disappear before the autumn starts and it may not be out of place to mention that not only does the Lukha change its colour to sky blue but on Wednesday 2, December last on a visit to Kupli, even this river has changed into an azure blue colour.
Narpuh eleka is also being affected by pollution from the many cement plants in the area, therefore the forest will be of help to the people who live close to the eco- sensitive zone because it will help absorb the dust and smoke produced by the cement plants. Even now the villages in the area receive their supply of fresh clean water from the sources in the forest as well as from providing them with wild edible food, herbs and plants for medicines and honey.
The villages in the fringes of the forest will also benefit if Narpuh is declared an eco-sensitive zone. The Government can make the people who live in the villages partners in the protection and preservation of the forest and the wild life in the area. Perhaps Government can assist the local people particularly the young educated youths of the area to venture and promote eco-tourism in the area. There are many cases where conservation creates livelihood opportunities for the people in the fringes of the forest. The huge forest can also be an avenue for people to upscale their apiculture business and simultaneously earn livelihoods while protecting the forest.
The conservation program can also address the issue of underdevelopment of the villages surrounding the forests. Various conservation programs can be implemented alongside developmental activities for the villages in the fringes of the proposed eco-sensitive zone.
Climate change is no longer just a subject of debate by experts and leaders of the different countries of the world. Unseasonal and intensive rainfall like those that occurred in Meghalaya in the last summer and which is still happening right now in Tamil Nadu, are realities that are staring us right in our faces. We can no longer pretend and ignore what is happening. It is about time we act. Big talks about climate change in Paris or anywhere else depends on small conservation efforts like this. The proposal to declare these two forests as eco- sensitive zones is a testimony to the saying ‘think globally act locally’.
This is a great move made by the Government of India and we hope that by declaring the wild life sanctuary an eco-sensitive area we will be able to protect this one last tropical forest in the Khasi and Jaintia hills. By protecting the area we will be able to conserve for the future generations at least a semblance of the thick forests that used to cover the sub-tropical area of Meghalaya. On a positive note, there is also the fact that forests are our best carbon sinks. This will help the state and the country in the long run.