By Barnes Mawrie
It is said that about 92% of Japan’s population lives in cities leaving the rural areas deserted and uninhabited. In fact, the government is offering financial incentives to push the population back to the rural areas. This phenomenon is very much observed in Northeast India especially in the tribal states. In Mizoram almost 60% of the population is located in Aizawl city alone. The 2011 census shows that the rural population of Meghalaya stands at 79.9% while the urban population is over 20%. However, considering the fact that Meghalaya like most tribal states in the region, has only one actual metropolitan city, Shillong, this urban percentage is a matter of concern. Besides this, the migration from the rural areas to the city of Shillong is gaining momentum from year to year. The census of East Khasi Hills district indicates 55.6% of rural population and 44.4% urban population. This proves that our city of Shillong is overpopulated. This is the reason why we experience so much of adverse impact in the city.
Extreme urbanization has led to deforestation of large areas. It is enough to drive along the New Shillong area and one can witness the fast disappearance of forests due to the construction of new residences. We will not be surprised to see this area devoid of green cover in the course of a few years. How unfortunate, when we see Bhutan which is already a minus zero CO2 emitting country, is still planting thousands of tree saplings, we in Meghalaya who are experiencing rising temperature and CO2 increase, we still continue to deplete our forests. We all know that trees give out oxygen and absorb CO2 and so by cutting down trees we are deprived of the double benefit. Unchecked urbanization also leads to overpopulation which consequently increases traffic congestion.
Shillong is witnessing a very fast growth of automobiles while our roads remain the same. As a matter of fact, today there is no corner of the city which is not busy and there is no by-road which is traffic free. Shillong has reached a point of traffic saturation and if urbanization continues, we may need to go back to perambulation and park our vehicles at home. The growing migration of rural youth to the city is another factor that contributes to congestion. Many of them are drawn either by a pursuit of better education, by quick buck or by the glamour of city life itself. Many of these youths who are unable to find jobs finally end up in anti-social activities. Some of them become drug addicts or alcoholics, others become thieves and robbers while not a few of them are engaged in prostitution.
It is time for the government to think seriously on the policy of re-ruralization. In Japan the government offers financial incentives to people to repopulate the rural areas. Our rural youth must be motivated to go back to their villages and pursue the noble profession of agriculture, horticulture, pisciculture and cattle rearing. There is so much wealth and prospects in the rural areas that are being wasted or overlooked. With attractive financial incentives from the government, perhaps these youths would be drawn back to their villages. Agriculture and other allied activities should evolve from being merely work for sustenance as it is being done now, to commercialization. This can be done if the government provides the farmers with modern technology and since our youth are educated, they can take these activities to a higher level. This approach will be a great blessing to our state, since we are still dependent on other states for our food supply.
Considering the fact that our state is itself a God-given natural beauty, eco-tourism in the rural areas can be a great economic boost. This can also be another way of luring the youth to their villages from the city life. Our state should stop its centripetal policy of development and adopt a centrifugal policy. It is a shame that after more than half a century of our statehood, we have only one metropolitan city. Other states in our country each have a number of big cities which helps in equal distribution of the state’s population and prevents rushing to the capitals. Even our neighbouring state of Assam has got at least nine major cities (Guwahati, Tezpur, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Silchar, Tinsukia, Bongaigaon, Dhubri and Barpeta). In Meghalaya, Tura, Nongstoiñ and Jowai are still considered towns and they have not yet developed into cities. This is the reason why all roads still lead to Shillong thereby resulting in overpopulation, traffic congestion and pollution.
The present government seems to be a very proactive one and a lot has already been done towards improving the situation. I hope that this government will go a step further as to adopt a centrifugal development policy in the state for that is the only permanent solution to overcrowding and degradation of our city.
