Editor,
One wonders how many people in Meghalaya know of the ‘man made’ blue Lukha River’ in East Jaintia Hills. People must have heard and seen blue oceans but not Blue Rivers. Prior to the establishment of cement factories located in East Jaintia Hills, the Lukha River had a natural green colour where various kinds of fishes (some migrating from Bangladesh) and aquatic species thrived. The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) did conduct some tests in 2012 when complaints were received from environmentalists that the Lukha River had turned blue due to the effluents discharged from the cement factories. The report given by the MSPCB in 2012 blaming the phenomenon to ‘ mine run off’ and acid effluents from coal mines is not convincing at all. The report of the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi stated that the water turned blue due to its high PH content and hence, the water is unfit for human consumption leaves much to be debated. Let me ask why the Lukha River did not turn blue upstream (where there are no cement factories), though much activities like coal and limestone mining are going on for over three decades. It is crystal clear that the Lukha River turned blue only after meeting the Lunar River at Khatdung which originates from Myndihatti and Loomchnong areas where the various cement factories are located. It is proof beyond doubt that the Lukha River turned blue only after the cement factories come into existence.
The contention of MSPCB that the Lukha River turned blue due to ‘mine run off’ and acid effluents is to be taken with a pinch of salt where no scientific findings will corroborate it. How can MSPCB explain why the Khri River near Sutnga village did not turn blue, though coal mining activities have been going on for the last three decades or so? The main reason for the Lukha River turning blue is that the fly ash of fine dust like particles (waste) are released by the cement factories directly into the Lunar River which find its way to Lukha River. It is doubtful whether the MSPCB had collected the fly ash found at the bottom of the river beds while sending the water samples collected from the river to the central laboratory of the Central Pollution Control Board New Delhi in 2012 to find the real cause of the Lukha River turning blue. It is also doubtful whether the cement factories located at Loomchnong, Myndihati etc., have their own tailing ponds within the factory premises where effluents from the cement factories are dumped and stored and not released into the river which destroys the fishes and aquatic lives of the river.
The recent FIR filed by the KSU Narpuh circle to the district police against contamination of the Lukha River is a step in the right direction, though not much is expected from the enquiry by the police as it requires scientific enquiries from recognized bodies. The Government should immediately order closure of cement factories till they build their own tailing ponds to dump the waste material.
It is surprising to note that the Lukha River had again turned a natural green colour recently during the lockdown period imposed by the central government beginning March 24, 2020 and fishes and aquatic lives had revived. Unfortunately, as soon as the State Government lifted the ban recently by allowing cement factories to operate, the river water turned blue again. This clearly shows that cement factories are responsible for releasing the wastes to the river. In foreign countries releasing of waste from factories into the river is a very serious environmental offence and is punishable with imprisonment and hefty fines. In Meghalaya, it seems no one dares take action against cement companies!
To put at rest this controversy on why the Lukha River turns blue once and for all it is time for the government to appoint a high level enquiry either by the Central Pollution Control Board together with renowned scientists or by the CBI to find the real cause of the controversy and to take remedial measures and fix responsibilities on those who are poisoning the Luka and to impose heavy penalties on the erring cement factories.
Yours etc.,
L R Dkhar
Jowai
Quarantine violation
Editor,
The reported violation of quarantine by a Covid-19 positive patient was an event waiting to happen given the lack of alacrity shown by our authorities in several past instances. The authorities should have foreseen that at least a few of those undergoing quarantine would wilfully or through ignorance violate their quarantine and therefore preventive measures should have been put in place to avert a likely disaster. But alas! As always, our authorities did what they always did: that is they locked the doors after the horses have escaped. We can now only pray that the quarantine violator did not infect anyone, otherwise…
It was also shocking to learn that the patient in question was allowed to stay in her own place despite the availability of a Covid Hospital and Covid Shelters all over town. All this hardly portrays our authorities in good light and is reason enough to create a sense of apprehension if not fear in the minds of the public
Further, as there are now numerous returnees to the state, it is needless to say that the authorities should be on their toes. But will it be so? Will VIP culture disappear overnight? Will the rules be applied equally to erring VIPs and their relatives? Well, I guess we already know the answers. After all, it was only recently that we witnessed the cringing and fearful attitude of the police when they had to mutely tolerate a lecture from a person who had violated the curfew and other laws. And by the way, we are tired of the clichés uttered by the bigwigs that “government will look into the matter”, “action will be taken” or “law will take its own course,” whenever the humongous sense of entitlement of their ilk is exposed. These pronouncements are nothing less than sick jokes being thrust on us, the Aam Aadmi by the Khaas Aadmi.
Our only hope now is that we the aam aadmi should be courageous enough to demand from the khaas aadmi that he follow the right course otherwise no one will save us.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request