How responsible are you, for a greener Earth?
This time, there was a clarion call for personal accountability in ensuring a greener Earth by none other than the Chief Minister himself.
Taking a step further from plain speeches, the CM asked people not just to plant trees, but to plant a shift in mindset. His message was simple yet profound — reflect, act, and take personal responsibility.
But what does that really mean for the average citizen?
Environmental change isn’t about grand gestures — it begins with awareness of the small, habitual choices that shape the planet’s future. Reflection is not a passive act. It means asking questions like: “Do I still use plastic bags when I shop?” or “What happens to the trash I throw away?”
Action follows reflection, and it doesn’t always mean going off-grid or protesting deforestation. Sometimes, it can be as simple as switching to a reusable water bottle, supporting local farmers instead of packaged, shipped produce; saying no to freebies — especially the plastic kind handed out even on Environment Day itself; or for that matter, even fixing a leaky tap!
As the Chief Minister rightly said, this isn’t just a government issue, it’s a personal one. World Environment Day isn’t a one-day affair, it’s a mirror; and the question it poses is simple — what are you doing about it?
Rains, roads and repairs
Potholes on roads in Shillong are a regular affair during the monsoon season. Every year, the PWD diligently performs cosmetic repair of roads in various parts of Shillong, after the Monsoon and before the arrival of any VIP or VVIP.
The patch-up work is a simple process— workers sprinkle molten coal tar on and around the potholes, spread a layer of asphalt on them and finally employ a road roller to even the surface. And lo and behold! The repair work is complete. The PWD employees, who mostly operate in the dead of the night, move on to another pothole like soldiers surging forward from one enemy post to another.
The repair work, however, fails to stand the test of time and the might of the Shillong weather. A brief spell of shower is enough to remove the freshly-laid layer of asphalt like a band-aid which comes into contact with water.
Residents, having enjoyed bump less rides for a few days, are greeted with the familiar potholes.
In the meantime, the contractor has got his bills ready and the department completes the payment signalling the end of a successful mission.
The next season, the process is reenacted again with great enthusiasm.
One question pops up in the mind—are our engineers and contractors not capable of building sturdy roads?
Maybe, Shillongites can petition engineering colleges to include a chapter on “How to build roads that can withstand Shillong rains?”
