Time for action: Green-Tech Foundation on cleaning River Wah Umkhrah

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 11, 2024

Members of the Green-Tech Foundation on Saturday cleaned a stretch of the polluted Wah Umkhrah river situated near Weiking, Shillong in a move to communicate that it is not an uphill task to clean the river.

Using an inflatable boat, members of the organization can be seen fishing out waste which includes discarded items such as shoes, plastics, bottles etc using a net and emptying it into a bag. Others on the riverside were also seen picking up other items. Prior to the clean-up, the portion of the river was disinfected for safety.

Speaking to reporters, chairman of the Foundation, H. Bansiewdor Nongland said, “We have been hearing words of discouragement that nothing can be done as far as Wah Umkhrah and Umshyrpi. The question is why not? If we are able to clean other rivers. We did not come to create an issue, criticise or blame anyone. We are here to step in and want to show that we are serious.”

The GTF installed the Terminal Point Interceptor (includes Indigenous Floating Barriers & Trash Mesh/Plastic Wire Mesh/ Plastic Net) on Monday and the amount of accumulated wastes was enormous. He said that the materials used were able to not only trap solid wastes but even the oily wastes as well.

“Whatever we are doing is not done hastily but it is a replication of the Nongstoin model implemented at Wah Nondein and it has continued for 40 days,” he said.

He said that cleaning the Wah Umkhrah will benefit the villages of Mawdon and Dam Site who bear the brunt of urban wastes.

Nonglang stressed on targeting the solid wastes and removing them from the river.

He mentioned that Wah Umkhrah and Umshyrpi rivers are listed among the 45 most polluted rivers in the country as per National Green Tribunal’s report.

We want work to be transparent: Nonglang

The chairman of Green-Tech was irked at the number of meetings called to discuss the cleaning of Wah Umkhrah and was unhappy at the amount of money spent on cleaning the river.

He said, “We have criticised the government and it has led to nothing. Last year, they did call us for a meeting to clean up the river, we waited 4-5 months but no instructions were given. Enough of meetings, enough of minutes.Do not make Wah Umkhrah and Umshyrpi as a means for corruption. If you want evidence, we have RTI queries. You know how much the District Council, the Municipal, Urban Affairs Department has invested here in the previous years and these are not in lakhs but crores.”

Calling for coordination, he said that the clean-up should be meaningful and transparent.