By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: In a noble initiative, the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) on Friday launched the ‘Clean Wahumkhrah Mission’ by organising a cleaning drive along the river at Umkaliar on the outskirts of the city.
Around 400 volunteers including employees of the KHADC, representatives from the Syiem of Mylliem, members from various organisations and the general public, actively participated in the cleaning drive.
The highlight of the cleaning drive was the participation of the MDCs including CEM Pynshngain N Syiem, Teilinia Thangkhiew and Irene Lyngdoh.
The CEM actively participated in the cleaning drive, even venturing into the water and collecting waste materials and garbage.
Speaking to reporters later, Syiem said that the KHADC has earmarked Rs 50 lakh from the Thirteenth Finance Commission towards the ‘Clean Wahumkhrah Mission’.
“I want to assure that this would not be a one-day affair like other initiatives in the past. We have got long term plans to clean the river,” the CEM said.
Informing that the Council is contemplating to construct waste traps along the course of the river right from Umkaliar, he said that they are also planning to hire labourers who would be responsible for cleaning the garbage collected in the waste traps.
Syiem also said that the KHADC would continue to hold dialogues with the various Dorbar Shnong especially with those localities which are close to the Wahumkhrah.
“The efforts of the KHADC would be futile without involving the Dorbar Shnong. We would urge the Dorbar Shnong to take part in this initiative,” the CEM said.
He said that the Dorbar Shnong could take the initiative of educating people residing in their localities not to dump or release garbage and other waste materials into the river.
Syiem also informed that the Council had allocated funds to the Dorbar Shnong close to the river through their respective MDCs to enable them to take up measures for preventing the flow of garbage and sewage directly into the river.
“The main purpose of this scheme is to have better working relationship with the local Dorbar Shnong of various localities,” the CEM said.
Last year, a task force comprising over 20 local NGOs of the State, the KHADC and the Mylliem Syiemship was formed to win the minds and hearts of people in the task of reclaiming the city’s rivers which have been allowed to degrade over the years due to unwarranted human activities.