Shillong, Jun 21: The Shella area unit of the Hynñiewtrep Youths’ Council (HYC) today condemned the “continued failure” of the state government and the representative of Shella constituency to address the recurring destruction caused by flash floods and riverbank erosion in Shella village.
Every year during the monsoon season, large portions of agricultural land, plantations and private properties along the banks of the Wah Umiam or Bakra Shella, as it is locally known, are washed away, the HYC said in a release today. “Yet, despite the problem persisting for decades, no effective and permanent measures have been taken to protect the people and their properties.”
While the Meghalaya government “boasts” of development and is spending crores of rupees on various projects, “it has failed to safeguard the properties of its citizens and the very land on which the people depend for their survival,” the pressure group said. “Equally concerning is the silence of the elected representative of Shella constituency, who has failed to secure lasting solutions for affected farmers and landowners.”
The HYC demanded immediate intervention by the state government, including a detailed survey of affected areas, sanction of permanent anti-erosion projects, compensation for affected families, landowners and a time-bound action plan to prevent further loss of land and property.
