By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 27: Violating the Meghalaya Water Bodies Preservation and Conservation Guidelines of 2023, which clearly prohibit ‘construction or erection of any structure in the water bodies’, an illegal pavement is being constructed over the river Wah Thangsning, behind Goraline by the owner of the under-construction building just beside the river.
This was brought to the forefront by Green Tech Foundation, an environmental NGO, following an inspection to address illegal pavement construction near Wah Thangsning.
The Foundation stressed their stance against encroachment on public spaces, citing relevant conservation guidelines.
Bapyntngen Mashli, a Member of the Green Tech Foundation, while addressing media persons, said that they have also written letters to the Meghalaya Pollution Control Board and the Shillong Municipal Board. However, they were yet to receive any response till the filing of this report.
Informing that they will take a call on their further course of action if no response is received, the NGO said they were unaware of the owner of the under-construction building. They, however, felt that the owner appears to be somebody powerful.
It may be mentioned that the illegal construction violates the High Court of Meghalaya’s order, which had earlier directed the state government to ensure that it does not allow any construction to come up within 50 meters of the high-water mark of the relevant water body, without the express previous leave of the Court.