Shillong “Clean River Umkhrah Mission” a damp squib

Staff Correspondent

Shillong: The “Clean River Umkhrah Mission” initiated by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council in 2013 is a damp squib. While the money earmarked under the 13th Finance Commission was utilized, there is nothing visible on the ground.

River Umkhrah which runs from the heart of Shillong city has been polluted due to effluents emanating from the residential areas. The river mission was abandoned late last year and nothing definite is known about how the funds were used.

Residents in and around Nongmynsong, Demseiniong and Polo areas don’t even know that there was such a project to rejuvenate the river. When asked that the project kickstarted in 2014, a group of residents said that they were neither informed nor asked to be stakeholders in the project.

From Lawmali downwards, they are aware of the KHADC endeavour yet they categorically stated that the only thing they could see are the cages laid alongside the river with no waste traps from the other nullahs that are full of pollutants.

“We have seen no change in the river that has virtually turned into an eyesore”, stated one of the resident while crying that serious projects should be taken up in the right earnest.

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