SHILLONG, March 13: An interactive meeting was convened by the panel constituted by the Meghalaya government to prepare a road map for preservation of Umiam Lake.
Stakeholders settled in the immediate vicinity of the lake’s catchment area participated in the meeting with the panel.
Environmentalist and expert member of the committee, Naba Bhattacharjee, who initiated the public consultation, gave a detailed overview of the approach in preparing the road map in consultation with the stakeholders and highlighted the importance of having them on board in the process so as to create awareness on importance of conserving the lake.
Inputs were put forward by the participants which also included suggestions including historical aspect of the settlement of different shnongs in the catchment areas, including environment safeguards initiated with unanimous emphasis on the importance of solving the pollution concerns of Wahumkhrah and Wah Umshyrpi, both of which drain into the Umiam Lake, emptying volumes of plastic waste and other pollutants.
Cooperation of stakeholders was sought for the proposed process of GIS mapping and zoning operation to ensure a comprehensive action plan.
An inspection of the catchment areas of the lake was undertaken by the committee on boats to analyse the prevailing situation which followed the first site inspection undertaken on March 1 along the old GS Road.