JOWAI: The Khasi Students’ Union Narpuh Circle has filed a police complaint against the contamination of Lukha river in East Jaintia Hills. The FIR was filed before the Officer in-charge of Lumshnong Police Station on Tuesday.
A team of KSU activists led by its president, Kwilness Suchiang, urged the police to investigate the matter and book those who are involved in illegal activities making the river contaminated thereby killing hundreds of fishes all along the river.
“It is with great concern that we decided to lodge a police complaint and we hope that police will investigate into the matter”, Suchiang said.
The complaint stated that in 2007 the river changed its colour for the first time killing thousands of fishes and during this period many cement factories started to flourish in the district. Since then, the river has been changing its colour into blue annually during the winter season when the water level recedes.
“The contamination of the river has grown to such an extent that the water is no longer fit for consumption and no aquatic life can survive”, the KSU stated in its complaint.
According to the student body, the pollution and contamination has also badly affected the life of the public and fishermen particularly those who live along the river banks.
“Recently due to the lockdown, the quality of the river water had seen an improvement and fishes were visible in the river. But with deep anguish we wish to report that between April 23 and 25, the water turned blue again and most fishes have been found dead. This has caused immense pain to the people who love this river and is a source of livelihood for many people. This calls for action against the polluters”, the complaint further stated.
The KSU also made its stand that coal mining in the state was banned in 2014 by the NGT but despite the ban the Lukha river is still in bad shape.
With the lockdown in place and cement factories closed, the quality of the water had improved. However, as soon as the Central government decided to allow cement factories to reopen, the river changed its colour again killing all aquatic life, the KSU said in its complaint.