JICA-funded Shillong-Dawki Road project faces ‘green’ trouble
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 8: In the emerald embrace of the Khasi-Jaintia Hills, where the Umngot River once gleamed like liquid crystal—earning accolades for being Asia’s cleanest—a venomous serpent of progress uncoils. The Shillong-Dawki Road, a JICA-funded lifeline, carves through green slopes with relentless blades with catastrophic consequences as construction debris cascades into the turquoise depths of the river, turning it murky brown.
Silt chokes the lifeblood of Dawki’s tourism dreams as the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) allegedly violates environmental norms at multiple locations across the 90-km length of the highway.
The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) found multiple cases of violations by the implementing firm during an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the project.
The EIA was carried out on November 3 by a four-member inspection team comprising of senior scientist and senior environmental engineer of the MSPCB, S. Swer and S. Syiem, besides Assistant Commissioner of East Khasi Hills, Amando Marak and NHIDCL Resident Engineer, S.K. Samankaray.
The inspection team was constituted based on a complaint filed by Shillong Lok Sabha MP, Ricky A.J. Syngkon on October 19.
Syiem said the purpose of the inspection was to assess the environmental conditions and potential impacts arising from ongoing construction activities along the Shillong-Dawki Road and adjoining areas, particularly near the Umngot River.
“Within Package 2, extensive excavation, earthwork, and filling activities are in progress. Large quantities of excavated earth have been dumped indiscriminately along the roadside without proper containment or stabilisation measures,” Syiem said in the inspection report.
According to Syiem, such unregulated disposal of spoil material has resulted in significant soil erosion and sediment runoff into nearby streams that ultimately discharge into the Umngot River.
At the location between Laitlyngkot and Langkyrdem, two mobile crushers were operating without consent from the Board. The area also showed rampant earth disposal along slopes, contributing to increased turbidity in the Mynsong River, a tributary of the Umngot.
Unsupervised sand washing along the roadside between Laitlyngkot and Pynursla and large quantities of excavated soil were observed dumped along the roadside without stabilisation. Mechanical sand washing activities were being carried out on the roadside near the Umthli stream. The muddy runoff generated from these unsupervised dumps and washing sites was found discharging directly into the stream, contributing significantly to the turbidity of the Umsong River.
Between Laitlyngkot and Pynursla, large volumes of freshly excavated earth were observed dumped along the roadside and ridge without containment or stabilisation. The disposal had completely obstructed the flow of a natural stream, which directly joins the Umsong River.
Another major disposal site was noted between Laitlyngkot and Pynursla. Large quantities of fresh earth were being dumped along the roadsides without any preventive or protective measures in place.
The MSPCB has already imposed a compensation of Rs 15 lakh on the NHIDCL for the violations and has directed the firm to remit the compensation amount within 15 days of receiving the notice, through a Demand Draft or Banker’s Cheque payable to the “Member Secretary, Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, Shillong.”
