TURA: The All Khasi Hills A’chik Federation (AKHAF) has alleged illegal dumping of coal on a riverside in Cherragao village in South West Khasi Hills resulting in pollution to the water body which is the only one flowing through the area.
According to the federation, due to the dumping of the mineral by the water body its waters have been contaminated leading to disappearance of fish and other aquatic life which once thrived in the river. The federation also said that the water body is the only source of water for the entire which has now become unusable. In addition, the federation added that due to the plying of overloaded coal trucks the only linked road constructed by the CPWD is in a very poor state.
The federation urged the District Administration, Forest Department and the Meghalaya Pollution Control Board to intervene and take steps to stop the activity.
“Apart from violation of the Supreme Court and NGT order by dumping of coal in the river side, it is a gross violation of Biological Diversity Act, 2002. We urged the concerned authority to look into the matter,” Federation publicity secretary, Manuel Ch Marak said.