From Saurav Bora
GUWAHATI: Green activists in Meghalaya say they are not averse to development if the next government pronounces effective policies for environment protection and focuses on the state’s inherent strengths such as biodiversity, eco-tourism and organic farming.
With manifestos and vision documents of political parties having a common agenda of development, there is concern whether such progress comes at the cost of the state’s green cover or, worse still, if there is a fractured mandate and a coalition government emerges without clear-cut policies.
“It is unfortunate that while parties are talking about development and other issues, they have been largely silent on environment. Development is linked to preservation of environment and sustainability but there is no clear-cut perception on the part of the parties in this regard,” environmentalist Naba Bhattacharjee told The Shillong Times.
Terming the state of environment “deplorable”, Bhattacharjee said, “Forest cover is declining, water bodies are polluted, hills are being cut and there is unscientific mining of coal and limestone. What’s worse is the direct discharge of sewage by urban bodies into water bodies in Shillong, for which I had filed two petitions in court.”
Asked what the new government should do to save the environment, he replied: “There has to be strong political will in striking a balance between development and ecology. Mining should be regulated, rivers protected, haphazard hill cutting prevented, zones identified from where boulders and sand can be extracted while laws and acts have to be implemented on the ground.”
The environmental activist said the government should be sensitive to conservation issues. “A commission needs to be formed in this regard while conservation officials should be deployed in the districts and blocks,” he maintained.
Uncontrolled quarrying of limestone in West Jaintia Hills and unscientific coal mining in East Jaintia Hills, it is commonly alleged, are activities that are in the interests of a few who connive with those in power to plunder and loot precious resources.
“Most of the truckloads of stones you see being quarried in South Khasi Hills, for instance, are activities that are patronised by the powers that be. Worse still, these stones and chips are exported to Bangladesh. So, only a few make money. The benefit does not spread out,” alleged Ian Khongmen, another green activist.
Khongmen said money plays a big role in the elections. “When investors prop up people to compete in elections how can the latter do anything that is not in the former’s interests,” he alleged.
The industrial area in East Jaintia Hills, Khongmen said, has changed. “About 18 cement companies are active round the clock in the area and there are townships where the locals hardly form 10 per cent of the employees,” he said.
He said unless there is a paradigm shift in how the state treats its environment, things would only get worse.
“The government has not done enough. There is no environment or tourism policy and hence no direction. What there is merely adhocism,” he rued.
The district councils, the custodians of land, rivers and minerals, have a role to play. “But they too have done precious little, particularly when laws are in place to protect the environment,” Khongmen added.
