GUWAHATI: Pressure groups and civil society have expressed concern over the issue of plastic pollution at Umiam Lake and called for urgent measures to save one of the most popular tourist hotspots in Meghalaya.
Pictures of plastic waste floating on a portion of the lake had gone viral on social media a few days back, prompting the East Khasi Hills district administration to convene a meeting to discuss the matter on Monday.
The authorities admitted the presence of plastic debris in the Dongrila area of the lake and assured to take immediate action.
“The pictures of plastic bags and bottles at the lake in Umiam were scary to say the least. Such a menace does take place every year during the rainy season. In October 2010, the state government had promised to implement the plastic law in letter and spirit, but nothing has been done. It’s clear that the government is not serious,” Thomas Passah, president of KHNAM state youth wing, told The Shillong Times on Tuesday.
Passah further said that tourist spots have been created but only a proper mechanism of surveillance and maintenance could stop such pollution.
“But unfortunately, the government, the local Dorbar Shnong and the people at large still do not understand the ramifications of pollution for our future generations. NGOs have been instrumental in organising cleaning drives from time to time but the government needs to tackle the menace by taking all stakeholders on board. The topic needs to be taken up on the floor of the Meghalaya Assembly this coming session and we expect strong resolutions,” he said.
Environmentalist Naba Bhattacharjee had filed a PIL (public interest litigation) at the National Green Tribunal back in 2014 on the danger posed by pollution to the lake where the Wahumkhrah and Umshyrpi meet.
“The issue of Umiam together with Wahumkhrah and Umshyrpi was included in my PIL in 2014 in NGT. The situation now has worsened due to failure/collapse of sanitary landfill at Marten with debris released into Umiam and old Shillong-Guwahati road,” said Bhattacharjee, who is the chairman of the state expert appraisal committee on environment for Meghalaya, nominated by the Union ministry of environment and forests.
The Wahumkhrah and Umshyrpi, two rivers which pass through the heart of Shillong city, have borne the brunt of urban pollution, with the waste/debris deposited downstream for decades now.
“In spite of the garbage waste enveloping it, the Umiam lake stands tall with its majestic grandeur. The life of the dam is about fifty years if I could recollect and it is past its prime. De-siltation will involve huge cost and perhaps the inhabitants of Shillong should come forward to help in putting in their resources,” VGK Kynta, senior advocate of High Court of Meghalaya, said.
“The lake is in fact the property of KHADC and it should step in to protect it. In fact, in the 1950s, the then Assam State Electricity Board executed some agreement with the United Khasi Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council. Power is generated from this lake, so why not involve MeECL also since the corporation is earning revenue from here,” Kynta said.
