Editor,
My heartfelt congratulations to HH Mohrmen on the article “Lanong and his imaginary pastures” (ST Feb 27, 2012). I believe that our Hon’ble Deputy CM on his way to Narpuh might have mistakenly taken the wrong turn at Phra Mer (8th Mile) and landed at Nongryngkoh or Iooksi which are really the grasslands of Jaintia Hills. Narpuh a section of the famous mountain range called Khaddom, that divides Jaintia and North Cachar was famous for the beautiful giant bird – the great hornbill, Orangutans that howl at you like a united church choir when you enter their territory and the Jhum cultivation. All the above three are characteristics of a forest of tall and giant trees. The above features might have been more pronounced in the past and up to the 60’s and 70’s, but whatever humans may do to a forest it will never turn into a grassland. We may defend a particular case to our liking but please do not betray geography. As regards the sad behavior of river Lukha towards aquatic life we do not require scientists to tell us the cause. A strong observatory power and common sense can tell us a lot. Two to three years after the establishment of cement plants the Lukha river behaved abnormally especially in dry seasons when the volume of water is sufficiently small to feel the effect of pollutants. Even unscientific mining of coal played a part. One can argue that coal mining started more than thirty years ago so why should the death of fishes occur now? Let us not forget that mining activities came closer and closer to the Lunar, the Waialong and the Bthoh river that feed into the Lukha, just recently. In view of the above it is beyond a shadow of doubt that both coal mining and cement production are the culprits causing the death of fishes in the Lukha. Cement plants might boast of modern methods to combat pollution like the use of electrostatic precipitator and others. But these pollutants trapped have to be routinely scrapped, collected and disposed off. The question is where and how you deal with the waste which per factory may come to a ton per month?
We may delay the announcement of a mining policy. But announced or unannounced the end can only be prolonged. At the eleventh hour when environment lovers shed tears on the condition of Narpuh once a hot spot of bio-diversity let us draw hope from the dying thief on the cross and say “Ah! Good thief, holy labourer of the eleventh hour, fill us with hope (if any)”.
Yours etc.,
Wandell Passah,
Retd. H.O.D.,
St. Edmund’s College
II
Apropos the article by HH Mohrmen (Feb 27, 2012) ‘Lanong and his imaginary green pastures,´ I would like to comment on the factual inaccuracies relating to Colombia ( not Columbia where Washington the capital in the US is its district ) and Mexico as mentioned in the second last para of the article . Government in these countries have not been supporting drug trafficking for economic activities though in the past there may have been influence by drug cartels within the government. The Embassies of Colombia and Mexico in Delhi will not take kindly to such uncharitable comments. It was the Colombian government security forces which killed the drug lord Pablo Escobar in 1993 .
As Ambassador of India in Colombia (besides Ecuador & Costa Rica) , I know what successive Governments of Colombia have been doing to combat drug trafficking and its nexus to terrorism, which other countries including India are trying to learn. This has been well recognized by UN bodies , World Bank etc that make Colombia today the most favoured country in Latin America for investment including to Indian companies like ONGC ,Reliance , Assam Oil Company , SAIL , TCS, Infosys , Bajaj, Hero , etc . On environment, despite mining being the mainstay of Colombia´s economy, it is one of the leading countries which is pushing for the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) at the Rio + 20 due in Brazil this year. Mexico´s drug problem is its border with the US where demand for cocaine and capacity to pay is the highest and indeed the Government is fighting a tough battle .
Yours etc.,
Rudi Warjri,
Embassy of India
Bogota
