By Our Reporter
Shillong, Jan 18: In a significant recognition of grassroots governance and community participation, the Dorbar Shnong Mawlai Mawtawar has been conferred with the prestigious SKOCH Award in New Delhi for its innovative initiative to address water scarcity through the Mawtawar Wahkdait Multipurpose Mini Gravity Storage Dam.
The award, regarded as India’s highest independent civilian honour, was presented under the category of District Governance in recognition of the community-led project aimed at preserving the Wahkdait water source.
The award acknowledges the collective efforts of the Dorbar Shnong, implemented through the Mawtawar Area Village Employment Council (MAVEC), which comprises four Village Employment Councils (VECs)—Mawtawar Pdengshnong, Riat Tamdong, Lummawsing and Laitlum.
Expressing satisfaction with the recognition, Dorbar Shnong Mawlai Mawtawar Secretary, Kynmawlang Nongdhar, said the idea to construct the dam emerged after residents faced persistent difficulties in accessing drinking water.
According to him, Mawtawar is widely known as a water-scarce village, prompting the community to come together to conserve the Wahkdait water source through a sustainable solution.
“The dam was constructed under the 100-Day Scheme (MGNREGS) using 274 job cards and took one year to complete,” Nongdhar said, adding that the project was completed in 2019.
He further stated that the challenges related to drinking water were highlighted before the then BDO of Mawlai C&RD Block, Peter Tremi Passah. Considering the requirement of the village, a work order amounting to Rs 90.57 lakh was issued for the implementation of the project. The dam was subsequently handed over to the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department under the Jal Jeevan Mission for further development and beautification. He further stated that the challenges related to drinking water were highlighted before the then BDO of Mawlai C&RD Block, Peter Tremi Passah.
Considering the requirement of the village, a work order amounting to Rs 90.57 lakh was issued for the implementation of the project.
The dam was subsequently handed over to the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department under the Jal Jeevan Mission for further development and beautification.
According to Nongdhar, the PHE department is currently able to pump nearly 5.5 lakh litres of water per day, benefiting more than 2,541 households.
Expressing gratitude, Nongdhar thanked all the stakeholders involved in the project and lauded the executive engineer of the PHE Investigation Division for his sincerity and leadership in enhancing the area.
He also urged residents to protect and preserve water bodies, stressing the importance of community responsibility in sustaining natural resources.
Nongdhar added that the recognition was the result of a joint effort and noted that the MAVEC had to make three separate presentations before being selected for the SKOCH Award.
He highlighted Mawlai C&RD Block as one of the most efficient blocks in the state in implementing government schemes.
Meanwhile, Meghalaya has made a strong mark at the SKOCH Awards by winning one gold and two silver honours.
The state received the gold award for the Mushroom Development Centre at Upper Shillong, recognised for its work as a Shiitake Production and Training Centre that has promoted skill development, value addition and income generation among farmers.
Two Silver Awards were also secured—one by the Mawlai Community and Rural Development (C&RD) Block for its community-driven development initiatives, and another by the Directorate of Tourism for the Nongwar Tourism Project, which focuses on sustainable, community-based tourism while preserving local culture and natural heritage.
Congratulating all departments, field functionaries and community members involved, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the honours reflect Meghalaya’s commitment to innovation, sustainability and people-centric development models aimed at ensuring inclusive growth.
