Editor,
Time and again reports and videos have surfaced over the gradual dwindling of water sources around the areas of Shillong and most importantly is the impact of many catchment areas affected due to sand mining, excavation of boulders and subsequent de-afforestation.
To only single out Shillong as an area where water scarcity and contaminated water often gets into water pipes, why not take into consideration a similar crisis that has affected villages around Pynursla, Sohra, Amlarem, Sutnga etc..Each has its own story to tell. However what is imperative for the state authorities along with the Village communities, Dorbar localities and the District Councils is to have a joint working group mechanism such as a joint water and forest committee that would look and study precisely the problem and come out with relatively workable plans learning from the past efforts and improving them with low-cost technology.
This model has often been successful of we look at small sector interventions by various line departments as they are the experts in fine tuning things on the ground and not consultants who drop by parachutes. The water crisis is seemingly getting out of hand and the state government should look into its water policy as well as the KHADC which had brought out a similar document during the tenure of Bah Ardent Basaiawmoit as CEM.
Dominic S. Wankhar
Community Resource Expert
Via e-mail
