SHILLONG, NOV 3: Cabinet Minister and Amlarem legislator Lahkmen Rymbui expressed concern over the Umngot river’s deteriorating condition, stating, “A muddy river Umngot is a loss for the livelihood of the people.”
Rymbui attributed the river’s muddy state to soil dumping by a company engaging in the construction of the Shillong-Dawki road just after the Laitlyngkot area.
He emphasized the river’s importance to tourism and local communities, stating, “Umngot river is famous for its crystal clear water and people who are doing boating and who are fishing they really love the Umngot river.”
“But in the last few weeks due to expansion of the road not near the Umngot but it seems that just below Laitlyngkot there is one small tributary of Umngot or rivulet which flows to Umngot, so, if you remember correctly that few weeks back before Puja or in the midst of Puja there was a heavy landslide in and around that area and it seems that the company or the contractor who is doing the work they have dumped the soil nearby just to clear the road and it seems that soil because it falls under that rivulet or stream so it carries everything to the Umngot river,” Rymbui stated.
He informed that the Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong has urged the company to take corrective measures.
“The deputy chief minister in-charge road Prestone Tynsong had already spoken to the company to see how this beautiful Umngot river, which is an asset of the state in the sense that tourism, Umngot is one of the destinations, Shnongpdeng is one the destinations, Dawki is one of the destinations for the tourists – because of that people from Khanapara till Shillong till Umngot they earned their livelihood and it should not affect their livelihood.”
Asked, Rymbui said he expects authorities to take action if the construction violates the Detailed Project Report (DPR) conditions.
“Before construction of any road, measures have been taken in the DPR so if there is any violation in the conditions of the DPR, the state pollution control board or the authority concerned they will take necessary actions as per provisions of the law,” he stated.
“The glory of Umngot river and its pristine crystal clear river will be there for the benefit of the people of the state,” Rymbui added further.
