Shillong, Aug 6: The Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC), Shella area unit has written to Water Resources Minister, Comingone Ymbon, demanding immediate steps to mitigate soil erosion and for flood protection in Shella (Umiam river downstream).
In the letter to Ymbon, the HYC brought his attention to the worsening situation of flash flood and soil erosion in Shella village and the need for immediate actions in this regard.
“Shella village being situated in the course of the Umiam river downhill towards Bangladesh is greatly affected by frequent flash floods and soil erosion,” the pressure group stated.
According to the HYC thousands of acres of agricultural land have been washed away and properties have been destroyed and people residing in the area have been made to shift their houses from one place to the other due to this common occurrence in Shella.
“This has also led to a decline in agricultural productivity, siltation of water bodies and an overall degradation of the environment and has affected the livelihoods of many families who are dependent on agricultural activities,” the HYC stated.
The pressure group also stated that the Meghalaya State Disaster Management Plan acknowledges the vulnerability of the state to floods and landslides.
According to the HYC it is imperative that proactive measures are taken to mitigate these risks and protect vulnerable communities like the people of Shella Village from the frequent losses suffered due to floods and soil erosion.
“We would also like to inform you that only in a place called Kalatek, within Shella village, where agricultural lands are situated, about 19 hectares or 1,90,000 Sq. metre of land have been washed away in a span of last 10 years in addition to the houses and other property destroyed due to flash flood and erosion,” the HYC pointed out.
The HYC has urged the Water Resources Minister to take urgent and necessary steps to mitigate this problem by constructing revetments, spurs, embankments and any other protections infrastructure along the Umiam river within Shella village from Pyrkan locality downstreams upto Kalatek, near Indo- Bangladesh Border, so that river banks are protected and further land loss are prevented.
