Shella Dorbar asks Centre to address concerns before nod to Mawphu

SHILLONG: The Shella Village Dorbar has urged the Ministry Environment, Forest and Climate Change to address its concerns over the commissioning of the stage 2 of the Mawphu 85 MW Hydro Electric Project before giving Dorbar fears that with the commissioning of the hydro electric project the discharge of water to the river would lessen and that it would affect the village and distort the socio-economic balance.
In a memorandum addressed to the Deputy Commissioner East Khasi Hills, the Dorbar said Shella village is located downstream of a river, locally called the Bakra Shella, on which the project is proposed.
The memorandum further stated that 3,000 residents of the village are dependent on the river as their primary source of livelihood.
“This income generation activity is a vital part of the socio-economic fabric of the village from time immemorial and fishes from the Bakra Shella are renowned in the area and East Khasi Hills,” the dorbar said.
Also, the waterway is used for exporting limestone, another primary source of villagers’ income, to Bangladesh.
“Since more than 50 per cent of the village population is interdependent on this activity for their economic well being, the commissioning of the project would adversely affect the trade and the village simultaneously,” said the letter by the Dorbar.
The Dorbar also informed that the village conducts an annual community fishing festival in February “which is a part of the identity and culture of Shella”.
“Shella in the past few months has taken up the initiatives to promote Eco-tourism in the village with water sports and activities as its USP. This is also linked to providing sustainable income generation opportunities to its residents,” the memorandum stated.Villagers also get drinking water from the river.