This story first appeared in The Shillong Times
SHILLONG, Feb 2: While the Meghalaya government has publicly stated that it will create 100 water reservoirs across the state the existing ones are slowly drying up due to rampant quarrying. One such reservoir called the Wahniangleng in the turnoff towards 12 Mer in Mylliem, which falls under Sohra constituency, is now under serious threat of going dry. The Wahniangleng reservoir is fed by a catchment above which is accessible from Laitkroh village under Mawphlang constituency and is about 30 km from Shillong.
The Wahniangleng reservoir is important because it feeds the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme that feeds the whole of Shillong. The massive laying of pipes under the Jal Jeevan Mission would be self-defeating if the catchments and reservoirs dry up.
In recent times a massive stone quarry has come up and the miners are blasting the mountain with dynamite which echo many miles away. It is learnt that the quarry is leased to a private person who supplies boulders to Bangladesh. Truckloads of boulders are transported to Bangladesh on a daily basis.
Residents claim that the rivers that feed the Wahniangleng reservoir are already drying up. The reservoir actually feeds the Greater Shillong Water Supply System which in turn is the main provider of tap water to every household in Shillong.
The Shillong Times tried to find out from all the institutions tasked with environment and water conservation in the government and the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council as to who had actually given permission for quarrying in an area which is a catchment for a natural reservoir. But none of the institutions/departments have any answers.
The Forest and Environment Department, Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MPSCB) and KHADC said they have taken serious note of the stone quarrying activities going on at the top of the Wahniangleng reservoir.
KHADC CEM Pyniaid Sing Syiem said that there is no official record that the council has issued any permission for stone quarrying in this area.
He said that he will be sending officials of the Council to visit the stone quarrying site and to submit a report.
MSPCB senior environmental engineer, Wanshan Kharkrang said that the matter has been referred to the Forest Department as it involves soil extraction for the purpose of brick making.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of East Khasi Hills & Ri-Bhoi (T) Division, Arul G. Mathuram said that they have received a report about this case.
“We are investigating and looking into this case,” Mathuram said.
Meanwhile, a senior official of the Mineral Resources Department said that they will need to find out if any mining permit was issued by the department in this instant case.
“I will need to check the official records before commenting further,” the senior official added.
While there is dithering at every level of the government, quarrying is carrying on at a rapid pace in every part of the state. An MDC of the KHADC said, “Quarrying is the only livelihood for most people so we cannot stop it.”
Water is a scarce commodity and if the reservoirs dry up one by one, Meghalaya is likely to turn into the proverbial wet desert unless serious note is taken of this matter.
Meanwhile the people of Wahniangleng rued the fact that while the government has recently stated that it would create 100 water reservoirs and would spend Rs 400 crore in the next three years, the same government is unable to conserve even the existing natural reservoirs.