The Dorbar Shnong of Umiam and a private security company conducted a cleaning drive on Wednesday in the area of Umiam village.
“Tourists who come to Meghalaya should not see the garbage before reaching Shillong, the capital of the state,” said assistant Rangbah Shnong of Umiam, Imti Chuba Iawphniaw, after the cleaning drive.
Employees of Tornado Security Agency joined hands with the Dorbar Shnong on the day, which was also the 189th death anniversary of freedom fighter U Tirot Sing Syiem.
This initiative was taken after it was noted that the area around the Umiam Dam has become littered with trash and other rubbish over the last few months. This comes after renovations began on the dam bridge, which has led to long traffic queues almost every day. With no public amenities, the public have thrown their trash and even practised open defecation on the roadside.
“The Dorbar Shnong is also concerned that since the repair of the Umiam Bridge, many heavy vehicles can no longer pass over the bridge, especially buses carrying tourists.,” Iawphniaw said. These buses now stop at Umiam. Parts of the village have since filled up with garbage and the government has not made any arrangement to clear it. There is not even a public toilet in the vicinity, making the whole area “a health hazard and a threat to the environment due to open defecation,” Iawphniaw added.
