SHILLONG: Governor Tathagata Roy said on Friday coal mining in the state should not completely stop and measures should be taken to carry out mining without causing pollution.
Roy was speaking at the valedictory function of the 3rd North East Green Summit 2018 at the State Convention Centre on Friday and organised by the Meghalaya Pollution Control Board, Social Forestry and Environment Wing, Forest and Environment Department.
He was referring to the allegations that the Kopili river turned acidic due to coal mining. “In Meghalaya, rat-hole mining is a very dangerous method,” he said.
Roy also voiced his concerns about Shillong city getting populated beyond capacity. Speaking of the menace of plastic, he said, “Plastics have to be banished.”
On the rapid urbanisation where old Assam-type structures are giving way to “ugly flat-roofed concrete” houses, Roy turned to Urban Affairs Minister Hamlet Dohling urging him to “give some architectural regulation if not in Shillong but in new Shillong”.
Commenting on the increasing congestion, Roy said there should be more public transport.
Meanwhile, Tripura Dy Chief Minister Jishnu Deb Barman said environmental concerns should be adhered to for development to be sustainable. According to him, indigenous people and forests are to be integrated in order to ensure that indigenous people and forests survive.
“Indigenous people must be taken into confidence while framing a policy on tourism although tourism has got potential,” he said.
The director of Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Dinabandhu Sahoo, outlined the importance of the summit for the North Eastern Region as it is at the top of the bio-diversity hotspot.
He stressed the need for promoting nature-based tourism and not only urban tourism taking into consideration the high inflow of tourists to the region.
On the other hand, he said the ethnic cuisine, handicrafts etc of the North East should be popularised outside the region as well.
Sahoo called upon the creation of dedicated group of green warriors in the state.
