From Our Correspondent
JOWAI: The Umlawan cave situated in Lumshnong village has been mapped as the longest and the deepest in the sub-continent but no one takes the responsibility of caring for the natural beauty. The entrance of the cave is almost blocked as it has turned into a garbage dumping place.
As per information, the famous Umlawan cave is interconnected with two other caves – the Kot-sati and Umskor caves. The total length of these caves is more than 21 kms and about 100 m in depth.
Few years ago, the government through the Department of Border Area Development has installed a generator for electrification of the cave. A room for the generator and footpaths were also constructed.
Interestingly, the generator has gone missing and the main entrance to the cave almost blocked due to disposal and dumping of refuses by residents residing near the cave.
Some of the local residents informed that the generator was damaged as no one to look after it after the installation. Wiring inside the cave also got damage, as there is no maintenance and management.
“We have raised the issues on many occasion on the general meeting of the Dorbar shnong so that cave should be protected by the village authority but no one was interested to discuss on the issue”, said a youth from Lumshnong village.
Whenever, we raised the issues in the village dorbar, some residents who are in favour of cement plants, instead of taking up the issue, they raised a question, ‘which is more important, Cement Plant or the Cave’, said a resident of Lum shnong village.
