NONGSTOIN: A pressure group’s demand to close down a ferroalloy factory at Riwiang in West Khasi Hills has raised concerns in five adjacent villagers.
The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) West Khasi Hills district unit has alleged that the factory is polluting the Riwiang river and demanded that it should be closed.
But the headman of Riwiang village, Bibially Mawlieh, told The Shillong Times that the ferroalloy company “has done a lot to develop the area and raised the standard of living of the locals”.
Mawlieh said the company has created jobs for unemployed youths who get “handsome salaries”. This has enabled villagers to send their children to good schools in Nongstoin and even in Shillong, he added.
“The local economy has improved as most of the youths have engaged themselves in supplying raw materials or food to the factory,” the headman said.
Alloysius K Dewsaw, president of Riwiang Sport and Cultural Club, told The Shillong Times that those people who came from Nongstoin demanding closure of the company “should think twice because (after the shutdown) what will happen to hundreds of unemployed youths and who will provide them jobs”.
“It is true that the factory is not perfect and it might commit some mistakes but we should work together by giving advice on what to do and what not to. We had been all agreed, during a public hearing, on setting up the factory and it also received NOC from villages in Riwiang area,” said Dewsaw.
Dewsaw pointed out that the factory has not only provided jobs to youths of the adjacent villages but also those in Nongstoin. “The factory has done a great job and brought about a perceptible change in the last five years in terms of economic standard, education, construction of a community hall. Also, tree plantation is always organised in the factory campus and outside,” he added.
Kyrmen Wanniang, a youth from Mawbyrngem who works as supervisor in the factory, urged NGOs and people outside the factory area who conduct inspection to work together for the benefit of the people.
He said if the factory is closed they will force them to agitate because he hoped that no one could provide jobs to the villagers.
Wanniang said the company has tried its best not to pollute the environment and hoped that the factory will solve problems.
Mawlieh urged the NGOs and individuals that if they want to check or conduct an inspection they should inform the villagers or the headman because if any misunderstanding arises in the factory area, villagers will not take responsibility.
