By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 6: Amid the widespread observance of World Environment Day across Meghalaya, Voice of the People Party (VPP) leader Batskhem Myrboh on Saturday questioned the effectiveness of symbolic green campaigns, arguing that environmental degradation cannot be addressed through slogans, rallies, and ceremonial tree plantations alone.
In a social media post that sparked discussion, Myrboh said environmental problems would persist as long as people continued to elect leaders whose primary objective was wealth accumulation at the expense of nature. He remarked that environmental issues cannot be solved merely by raising slogans, participating in processions, or symbolically planting trees while allowing policies and decisions that contribute to environmental destruction to continue unchecked.
The remarks come a day after a series of World Environment Day programmes were organised across the state. Government departments, educational institutions, community organisations, and local bodies organised plantation drives, awareness campaigns, cleanliness programmes, and environmental pledges.
Senior government functionaries, including Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, participated in tree-planting activities and highlighted the state’s commitment to conservation and climate resilience.
While such programmes are intended to create awareness and encourage public participation, the VPP leader’s comments reflect a broader debate on whether environmental observances have become largely ceremonial exercises rather than opportunities for meaningful policy reflection.
His remarks also touch upon a growing concern among environmental advocates who argue that the success of conservation efforts should be measured not by the number of saplings planted on a single day but by long-term outcomes such as forest protection, sustainable land use, responsible mining practices, waste management, and the enforcement of environmental regulations.
The statement is likely to resonate in Meghalaya, where environmental concerns frequently intersect with issues of development, mining, infrastructure expansion, and urban growth. Critics often contend that annual environmental celebrations risk losing significance if they are not accompanied by sustained action throughout the year.
Myrboh’s intervention shifts the conversation beyond the symbolism of World Environment Day and towards a more fundamental question: whether governments, institutions, and citizens are willing to make the difficult economic and political choices required to protect the environment in the long run.
