BY Rangdajied Marwein
Meghalaya “abode of the clouds” is a land of diverse climatic and topographic conditions, of pine forests and fields of wild flowers, of sacred groves and living bridges, of rolling mountains and dramatic rocky cliffs. It still is, or that is what it used to be. Meghalaya was once renowned for its majestic beauty, its pure air, its pristine rivers and its impeccably clean city streets that meandered like streams through patches of emerald green. The people were not as literate as the populace of today, but they respected their land and the land in return treated them well. The Khasis were renowned for their love of nature, and elders would instruct the young to respect nature. Rivers were sources of life that were the abode of spirits and therefore could not be insulted or ravaged. The relationship between the Khasis and Nature was sacrosanct.
The Meghalaya one sees today is a far cry from all that it once was. The glorious Wah Umkhrah no longer carries the lore of the mountains in its once resounding gushes; instead it has been lulled to silence by the heaps of garbage that mute its song. The air that carried the scent of the pine forests now threatens to harm those who breathe it in; the water that nourished now causes sickness and smoke and dazzling artificial lights blur the vision of the populace and keep them from seeing the decay of Meghalaya.
Decades ago there would be womenfolk washing their clothes on the banks of the Wah Umkhrah by the side of the Polo Ground as their children would frolic in the waters. Men would lounge for hours by the river where fish was abundantly available. Now the river has shrunk, the fish have been poisoned and the people only pass by to avert their eyes from the hideous appearance of the river and pinch their noses in disgust. In the present day water has become a scarcity and water carriers have become a common sight on the city streets. Water, once the source of life in Meghalaya, has become the source of diseases. Khasi simplicity has given way to greed and individualism and nature has become a pawn in the desire to attain opportunities for material progress.
According to the Comptroller and Auditor General Report of 2013-14, 28 out of 31 water bodies in the state are unfit for human consumption. An application filed under the Right to Information Act by a concerned citizen B.Buam revealed that more than 100 out of 224 industries in Meghalaya were functioning without effluent treatment plants in 2017. In the light of such damning information, why has the Government not taken any action?
Plato once said, “If anyone intentionally spoils the water, let him not only pay damages but purify the stream or cistern which contains the water.”Who are the active polluters of the water bodies of our state, especially in the Jaintia hills areas? Is it because of coal mining, limestone mining or the cement industries? Whoever the major culprit may be, why is the government being so soft on them? The Supreme Court in the Indian Council for the Environment- Legal Action v Union of India established the Polluters Pay Principle, emphasizing on the fact that compensation should not only be given to the victims of pollution but also that the polluters should pay all necessary damages in the restoration of the environment. However, we are yet to hear of any cement industries or coal barons being penalised by the State Government. Given the situation the order of the NGT on coal mining came as a blessing.
When the State Government in the Murli S Deora v The Union Of India passed an order to ban smoking in public places, the move was lauded by environmentalists and eco enthusiasts, despite no proactive steps being actually taken in that regard. Now if the government and the people can effectively agree that cigarette smoke can greatly endanger the health of passive smokers, a little common sense can lead to the conclusion that the smoke emitted from diesel trucks and buses can cause harm too. However in Meghalaya the Pollution Under Control Certificate or the PUC is not properly implemented. I have to point out here that most of the black smoke emitting buses and trucks that have conveniently managed to procure such certificates belong to the elite, the so called “Law makers”, the guardians of our state. Honestly what is the point in asking how the law was bent so conveniently by and for the people supposedly upholding the law.
Now let us discuss the epidemic of visual impairment affecting the citizens of Meghalaya. The literate book reading, posh coffee drinking populace seem to be affected by a rare case of selective blindness. Yes, they are literate; I am sure their educational certificates can attest to that; but they are far from educated. To be literate is to read and write; which is not the same as being able to differentiate a plastic bag from a paper or jute bag at a grocery store it seems; to be educated means the ability to reason and to actually convert what has been read into practice. Looking around at the enormous amount of plastic littering the city streets and now invading the country roads despite the very obvious garbage bins placed almost everywhere, I can safely come to the conclusion that Meghalaya has a huge population of literate and selectively blind idiots roaming the streets.
The Government despite its aim of a Swachh Bharat has been too soft on litter-bugs, maybe out of a soft spot for its citizens. I say heavily penalize the man who cannot walk towards a garbage bin. Sure the Meghalaya Police has issued a Rs 5000 fine on anyone found littering, but the general public are yet to be furnished with any information regarding the amount of money collected from such fines. Who knows, perhaps the money was used to purchase diesel for those trucks and buses.
I have to ask, why is it that the environment of a state like Meghalaya which is blessed with so much scenic beauty needs to be exploited for commercial gains? Why can’t the government ensure proper road connectivity throughout the state so that travellers can witness the beauty of our state? It is accepted knowledge that the only industry that will actually bring renown to Meghalaya is not the mining industry but the tourism industry. If the government handles its responsibility properly, it can ensure the livelihoods of the people while also preserving the environment. Before I end my article I would like to remind each and every one reading this that “we have not inherited this world from our ancestors but we have borrowed it from our future generations.” As such it is our duty to safeguard the world until it is time for future generations to reclaim it.