Shillong, June 5: Mawlai Town Dorbar today organised a special cleaning drive in Umshing river, Umsohlang stream and a tree plantation programme at Lum Mawpat as part of the celebration of the World Environment Day (WED).
The town dorbar took up the initiative with the financial support of the Chief Minister under the model scheme to revitalize these two water sources of Mawlai.
Over 500 volunteers from the 16 Dorbar Shnongs who are part of the Mawlai Town Dorbar (MTD), took part in today’s programme.
The first group from the nine Dorbar Shnongs was engaged to clean the main source of Umshing-Umjapung to the PHE main intake point at Kynton Massar.
The second group is engaged in planting of saplings of the catchment areas at Lum Mawpat and the final group is engaged in cleaning of the stretch of the river from Nongkwar to Mawiong Umjapung.
Talking to the reporters, town dorbar secretary, Dr Macro Mitri said that the rejuvenation of these water bodies was very critical for the water supply scheme to provide potable water to the various localities of Mawlai.
According to him, this is the first time that the town dorbar as a whole body, has taken the issue to preserve the environment.
He further informed that the local Dorbar Shnong of Kynton was actively involved in protecting the Umsohlang which is almost a death stream, for the last five years.
Dr Mitri also informed that they have also put up huge hoardings right from Mawlai petrol pump till NEHU to remind the people that Umsohlang—Umshing is the only source of water for Mawlai.
“If we do not protect it now, then the next generation would face huge difficulties since there will be no water source to feed the people of Mawlai area,” the MTD general secretary said.
He also said that this water source is also very critical since hardly 20 percent of the population of Mawlai have house water connection and 80 percent of the population are dependent on public taps for potable water.
Talking about the problem of water scarcity, he said that people have waited for more than 12 years for the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS) Phase III to materialize.
He suggested the need to rejuvenate the various water bodies and sources like Umsohlang Water Supply Scheme which will help to cater to the villages like Umshing, Mawroh, Mawdatbaki, Mawkynroh and Kynton Massar.
According to him, the localities of Mawlai will not need to depend on the GSWSS and it can be self-sufficient if the government is able to tap and preserve the various catchment and water sources in different parts of Mawlai.
The MTD said that the good part is that the various localities can now avail the benefit of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)
“In the past, we were losing the benefit of the MGNREGA and JJM since we had been under the Census Town scheme. But the 17 localities under Mawlai are benefiting from both MGNREGA and JJM,” Dr Mitri said.
The MTD general secretary also appreciated the generosity of the Hima Mylliem for reclamation of the catchment area around 70,000 square feet of the Umsohlang stream at Lum Mawpat.
He said that the Syiem of Mylliem had provided the 17 landowners who owned land at the catchment areas, with alternative land somewhere in Mawpat.
“We are hopeful to create a reservoir at the catchment area which would help during the dry season to ensure uninterrupted supply of potable water to the people,” Dr Mitri added.