Shillong Jottings

Clean your own backyard first!
In the midst of the season of conclaves, where stakeholders gather to tackle issues from water scarcity to cancer, one nagging problem persists: plastic water bottles. Despite all the high-minded talk of cleanliness and sustainability, organisers seem content to drown their events in a sea of single-use plastic.
As the government plays host, one would think they’d lead by example. But alas, the allure of convenience trumps the call for conservation. Oh, the irony!
It’s time for a wake-up call. Organisers and their hotel cohorts need to ditch the bottles and embrace alternatives. Maybe try a water fountain? Or invest in reusable flasks, which anyway find a place in front of the VVIPS on the dais? The possibilities are endless, unlike our landfill space.
So here’s to the grand conclaves and the small plastic bottles that accompany them — a match made in wasteful heaven. But hey, at least we’re sparking conversations about sustainability, one discarded bottle at a time. Progress or plastic-fueled regress?