By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 30: The district-level task force has been asked to verify drone footage that detected sand-washing and suspected soil dumping in stretches of the Shillong–Dawki Road project, officials confirmed.
They said the drone survey conducted as part of a monitoring exercise showed visible dumping in multiple locations, with large quantities of soil detected on slopes.
The task force will now verify on the ground whether any of the dumped material is entering a nearby stream that eventually drains into the Umngot.
Officials said the drone footage shows the dumping clearly, but its impact on water bodies can be confirmed only after field inspection.
Officials added that the task force’s ground verification report will be placed before the East Khasi Hills DC and the district committee once completed, which is expected “immediately, probably by next week.”
They also indicated that conditions at some sites appear to have improved, possibly because certain activities have stopped.
On the Rs 15 lakh fine imposed by the MSPCB on NHIDCL for allegedly polluting the Umngot, officials said the agency has filed an appeal.
They said the penalty can be reviewed if NHIDCL is able to substantiate that it was not responsible for the pollution; otherwise the fine will stand.
It may be mentioned that three joint inspections were carried out in October and November by teams comprising the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB), NHIDCL engineers and project contractors.
These inspections covered all active construction zones, including stretches repeatedly flagged as environmentally sensitive along the Umngot and its tributaries.
The issue escalated after Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, on October 30, assured a delegation from tourism societies under the Darrang Elaka Dalloiship that their concerns over the river’s discolouration would be examined.
The delegation included representatives of the Darrang Tourism Promotion and Development Society, the Shnongpdeng Tourism Development Society and the Dawki Tourism Development Society, who submitted a memorandum demanding a fact-finding committee and urgent corrective measures.
Officials said the government is holding a series of review meetings to assess the MSPCB’s findings and inputs from all agencies involved in the inspections of the road project.
