The South West Khasi Hills District Swimming Association (SWKHDSA) conducted a cleaning drive of Phot Umnew River at Mawkyrwat today.
Welljune Nongsiej, Secretary of the SWKHDSA, said that besides training students to swim, the association also aims to preserve and maintain the cleanliness of rivers in the district under its motto “Swim for clean water”.
Speaking against littering, he urged the people who come to wash their clothes in the river not to pollute the waters.
“We aim to conduct the cleaning drive every year to preserve this river and also to motivate others to do the same,” he said.
Phrangsngi Parïong, a regular swimmer, said that with time the river has started to become polluted by frequent littering. He hoped that the cleaning drive would instill the importance of keeping water bodies clean in the minds of the public.
“We don’t want River Phot Umnew to turn to the river Umkhrah or the Umshyrpi River in Shillong,” he added, referring to the heavily polluted waterways in the state capital.
