From Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Dec 5: Shillong MP Ricky AJ Syngkon on Friday demanded strict action against the contractors executing the Shillong-Dawki highway work for “unmindful” dumping of debris and sought compensation for the affected families.
Raising the matter in the Lok Sabha under “matter of Public Importance,” Syngkon said due to the “selfish” act of NHIDCL contractors in this Japan-funded road expansion project, nearby farming, tourism and water sources have been jeopardised.
Paddy fields have been swamped with run off soil, houses including homestays have been closed and the crystal-clear water of world-famous river Umngot has been polluted with debris in the streams, the Voice of the People Party MP said.
As a result, he continued, the farmers have lost their crops, homestays have been closed and overall tourism is lost, deeply impacting the local villagers who badly need to be compensated.
Earlier, in a letter addressed to Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Syngkon alleged that the dumping of soil and other materials into the rivers had led to “severe environmental degradation of the Umngot river.” Pollution of the river water has been “caused by ongoing construction activities under the Shillong-Dawki Expansion Project.”
The Umngot river is a major tourist attraction, mainly due to its crystal-clear water. One can see the riverbed up to a depth of about 8 metres, especially during this time of the year.
Syngkon said the dumping of excavated materials into the Umtyngar and Umngot rivers has been documented and no visible spoil bank management or silt containment measures have been implemented, violating basic environmental safeguards.
“This development has alarmed local communities, tourism operators and environmental organisations, who report massive dumping of soil and construction debris into river systems, especially near Umtyngar and Dawki, during hill-cutting operations along the project alignment,” he said. Such violations mirror past NHIDCL precedents, including the Bhagirathi river (Uttarakhand) case, where the National Green Tribunal had imposed a fine of Rs 2 crore for similar offences, he said.
The MP said the Umngot river supports hundreds of families through tourism-based livelihoods. “The present condition has already led to tourist cancellations, threatening an entire season’s income and, more importantly, eroding Meghalaya’s environmental identity,” he said.
Syngkon had urged the Union Minister to ensure accountability and oversight so that “environmental and social safeguards” are maintained as per global standards. He also demanded immediate action so that soil is not dumped into the river and called for a joint inspection by officials from both Central and state government agencies.
Excavated soil from hill-cutting for the road project is dumped near the river and its tributaries, and during rains, it gets washed into the water, thus increasing turbidity. Insufficient measures to stabilise and contain excavated soil have allowed it to enter the river directly. Heavy landslides on the route further contributed to debris that gets cleared and often ends up near waterways.
Besides affecting tourism in this peak season, increased sediment harm fish and other aquatic organisms. But the core issue stems from non-compliance with DPR guidelines during the challenging construction and landslide clearance, experts said.
