Umpung, a village in South West Khasi Hills, has been an “outstanding example” of biodiversity conservation and won an award for this at the conclusion of the Environment Week yesterday.
These awards were handed out yesterday at a function organised by the state government.
Umpung, a press release said today, has not only conserved the aquatic life in the Umngi River but has also created a sanctuary for hill mynas, which were under threat of extinction due to illegal poaching.
The creation of the sanctuary has helped the community boost their growth in tourism and livelihood.
Other villages were also highlighted, such as Napak Adokgittim, which won the award for ‘Best Village in Natural Resource Management Activities under MGNREGA-VEC’. It and five VECs (village employment councils) have been working towards the restoration of Tasek Lake, on which the community depends for fishing and agriculture.
They managed to desilt, build an earthen embankment and retaining wall, a cement culvert along with check dam, trenches and also planted trees. This has resulted in the increase of indigenous fish species, migratory birds and soft-shelled turtles.
Another winner of a district award was Moolamylliang village in East Jaiñtia Hills. Many villages in the area are known for having rich deposits of coal. A most striking difference that every visitor will first notice is that Moolamylliang is surprisingly clean despite the unnatural, contaminated coal landscapes that envelop not just the area but the entire region.
The reason is the local administrative body has taken it upon themselves to ensure that the preservation and conservation of the environment are equally as essential as the livelihoods generated because of coal mining. The landscapes of Moolamylliang were once barren and wore a deserted look as the local community was not yet conscious of the adverse effects of environmental degradation.
However, in 2014, the administration took a decision to take steps towards conserving their available natural resources and with this resolution the village has been carrying out regular tree plantation drives in and around its vicinity. The collective effort put in by every member of the community has since resulted in around 10,000 saplings planted till date and, because of proper maintenance, the survival rate has reached 90 percent.
Cleaning drives are also now a weekly routine. There are waste bins to be found in every corner of the village and every member is given the responsibility to not dirty their surroundings as well as to ensure that waste is emptied regularly. The most recent development is the ban on single-use plastic. Every shop in the village was instructed to stop using plastic, which has altered the face of the village. Today, these once polluted grounds have turned into natural lawns with lush green grasses and flowers, and structures such as bamboo huts with thatched rooms have been put up so that people who visit the village can bask in nature.
