Tourism business down by almost 80% in Dawki circuit: MRTF
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 23: Unabated pollution of the Umngot, Asia’s clearest river and Meghalaya’s crown jewel of tourism, has triggered an economic emergency for hundreds of families in Dawki, Shnongpdeng, and Darrang who depend on it for their livelihood.
“Business is down almost 80 per cent,” says Alan West Kharkongor, president of the Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum (MRTF). “Bookings are being cancelled left and right. People come here for crystal-clear water; when it is polluted, they simply don’t come.”
“Just this morning, after a few days of marginal improvement, the river clouded over once more, re-igniting panic across the entire tourism belt: Shnongpdeng, Darrang, Dawki, and the connecting circuits of Pynursla and Amlarem,” he said.
For years, local boatmen, homestay owners, and guides had succeeded in stretching Meghalaya’s traditionally short six-month tourism season into nearly year-round income by marketing the Umngot’s dazzling clarity even during the lean winter months. That hard-won progress now hangs by a thread.
“October to April used to be off-season. We turned it into peak season because of this river,” Kharkongor says. “If the water stays dirty, we lose everything we built.”
He said the state government has deployed various teams, particularly from the Meghalaya Pollution Control Board (MPSCB), and that he had sent videos from Nongjrong for verification to determine whether the construction activity related to the Shillong-Dawki Road project there is contributing to the problem.
According to Kharkongor, the construction of a road from Jaintia Hills to Nongjrong involves heavy dumping of red soil near the area where a bridge is planned. A tributary flowing through this area, “called Umngot only,” connects directly to the main river. He, however, acknowledged that the pollution “may very well be for other reasons besides the construction of the road,” adding that he has also shared videos showing the condition of the tributary in Nongjrong. “That is why they have to check properly,” he said, urging the authorities to examine all likely sources.
Kharkongor stressed that the situation has reached a point where a comprehensive response is essential. “We would request the state government to look from every front because these people are getting desperate,” he said.
He added that at this time of the year, “people should have been earning a decent income from the crystal clear water,” making the discolouration particularly devastating for those who depend on the tourism season.
The state government has responded with multiple joint inspections in October and November involving the MSPCB, NHIDCL engineers, and contractors.
Earlier, the MSPCB imposed a penalty of Rs 15 lakh on NHIDCL for violations that allegedly contributed to the pollution.
Kharkongor urged immediate, coordinated action to avoid further economic distress for the people and to prevent the Umngot’s reputation from suffering irreversible damage.
