Meghalaya Forest Minister Lakmen Rymbui ignores earth cutting

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: Meghalaya Minister of Forest and Environment Lakmen Rymbui feigned ignorance about the alleged rampant earth cutting along the Assam-Meghalaya border as the cause of the flash floods in the Jorabat stretch of the National Highway.

Answering to questions related to the issue that has been raised on the alleged earth cutting being the cause normal deluge during heavy rains, Rymbui said that he has not received any information from the administration on this matter. “I have only heard that the illegal encroachers block all the nullas on the other side of the border and they have been evicted”, stated the Minister. It is learnt that the issue of illegal or legal earth cutting in Meghalya has been raised at the district level. The Deputy Commissioner of Ri-Bhoi district could not be contacted over phone to authenticate this. Asked on this the Minister said, “These are administrative matters that has not reached my table”. But he conceded that the allegations could be a factor that should be authenticated. Going by the sequence of events, heavy monsoon rains that led to heavy downslide of the rainwater from the hills did create havoc in the lower lands in the Jorabat stretch of the Assam –Meghalya border.