By Barnes Mawrie
When scientists search for signs of life in other heavenly bodies, they always look for signs of water. This is because water is so essential to life. Where there is water, living organisms are sure to be found there. Our planet Earth abounds in water and this is the reason why so much of life thrives here. Evolutionists believe that the first living organism started in water here millions of years ago. From this simple organism, evolution of species and the process of speciation took place. But just as life started in water, so too survival of species depends on it. This is the reason why we consider water as so basic not only to us humans but to everything living on this planet. Plants and animals need water as much as we do.
Ironically, while three fourth of our planet’s surface is covered with water, yet we are threatened with shortage of water. This is because the vast oceans contain highly saline water which is not suitable for use by us. However, fresh and usable water which are found in our rivers, lakes, springs and underground sources, continue to diminish or to disappear altogether because of our irresponsible human activities. It is pathetic to see that even in our villages far from the city, families have to buy water on a daily basis. Much of their income goes to procuring water for their daily needs. Our state which abounds in rich forests and throbbing rivers and streams should never suffer from shortage of this basic commodity. The truth in fact is that we are experiencing a shortage of water and as time passes this is becoming a major crisis. The cause of this is not difficult to see. It is a problem of our own making resulting from human greed and loss of respect for Mother Nature. The manner we treat our natural environment – cutting down trees wantonly, mining unscientifically, quarrying randomly and encroaching into rivers, is responsible for the crisis we face today. If we continue the way we are doing today in treating Mother Nature with scant respect, the next generation of our people would perish due to shortage of water.
This brings me to the main point of discussion, namely, how we should protect water bodies in our state. It is deplorable to see how people in our state destroy water sources and water bodies in pursuit of their economic activities. For example, the much talked about Wah Umkhrah and Umshyrpi which used to be big, clean and throbbing rivers years ago, today are being reduced to tiny polluted streams; the lively stream passing through Rynjah, Lapalang and Umpling where we used to swim or fish when we were children, now has become a dirty nala (drain) not fit even to wash clothes; the vast paddy fields of Pynthor-umkhrah which used to be an immense water source, today has been encroached upon by concrete buildings. In fact, we need to rethink its name today because it cannot be called Pynthor-umkhrah anymore as there are no pynthors (fields) anymore. It is the same with Dhankheti which in fact means paddy field. How can the modern generation understand its meaning because they do not see any trace of paddy fields any longer? All this points to the fact that we in Meghalaya and Shillong in particular, have lost all regard for Mother Nature and in our pursuit of fleeting material well-being, have destroyed our own natural environment. For the material well-being of one generation we are endangering the survival of generations to come. Perhaps the most important question that this generation should ask itself is: what kind of natural environment do we want to pass on to our posterity? Is it a place bereft of beauty and utility that we want to give them?
Therefore, it is high time that the government takes drastic measures to protect our still existing water bodies. Water bodies like rivers, streams, lakes, marshes, paddy fields, water catchments etc, should be safeguarded at all cost or else we will surely face a life-threatening situation. There is an urgent need to enact a law in the state to forbid any human activity that would endanger such water bodies. Such a law should apply even to privately-owned lands where such water bodies exist. Water bodies should be considered as reserved properties of the government. On the other hand, villages could explore the possibility of creating more sacred or prohibited groves so as to safeguard trees and plants and above all protect water sources found in these places. Random stone and sand quarrying should be stopped by all means because they affect groundwater adversely. Instead only designated places should be allowed for such economic activities.
In the face of dire consequences due to climate change like rising temperature and decreasing rainfall, there is every possibility that a water crisis is in the offing. The day is drawing near when water may become a scarce commodity and probably only the rich would be able to buy water. Protecting water bodies should become an important mission of the ruling government. This needs to be done right now without any hesitation or lame excuse. Because water is life, therefore this is a matter of life and death.