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Shillong, Oct 29 (PTI) Meghalaya MP Ricky J Syngkon has written to the Centre seeking immediate intervention over what he described as “severe environmental degradation” of the Umngot River in West Jaintia Hills, allegedly caused by construction activities under the Shillong-Tamabil road expansion project. The river popular for its pristine clear water at Dawki along the Indo-Bangladesh border has now turned brown, the MP highlighted. In his letter to Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, the MP said the Umngot, once celebrated as ‘Asia’s cleanest river’, has turned muddy and lifeless due to large-scale dumping of soil and debris from ongoing hill-cutting work along the 71-km NH-40 expansion project. The project is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), he said. “The Umngot River, a symbol of Meghalaya’s pristine natural heritage and a major tourism asset, has tragically turned muddy and lifeless this October, a period when its waters should be crystal clear,” the MP said, adding that the development has alarmed local communities, tourism operators and environmental organisations. Syngkon alleged that large quantities of excavated materials have been dumped directly into the Umtyngar and Umngot river systems “under NHIDCL supervision,” and that “no visible spoil bank management or silt containment measures” have been put in place, violating basic environmental safeguards. He further said the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board has not yet taken action despite clear evidence of violations, drawing parallels with a similar case involving the Bhagirathi River in Uttarakhand, where the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a Rs 2 crore penalty for comparable offences. Highlighting the social and economic impact, Syngkon said the Umngot River supports hundreds of families through tourism-based livelihoods such as boating, homestays and handicrafts. Thousands of domestic and international tourists flock to Dawki every year to witness the river’s crystal-clear waters, sustaining the livelihoods of boatmen, homestay owners, food suppliers and transporters. “Its global reputation for ‘floating boats’ has been badly affected, with many tourists cancelling their trips this season,” he said. Syngkon also expressed concern over possible lapses in environmental oversight, questioning whether JICA’s stringent environmental and social safeguards had been followed. “It is crucial to ascertain whether proper Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and monitoring reports were filed and acted upon,” he said. In his letter, Syngkon urged the ministries to take immediate steps, including a halt to all hill-cutting and soil disposal activities impacting the Umngot and its tributaries, a joint inspection by a high-level central team, and environmental compensation against NHIDCL on the lines of the NGT’s Bhagirathi case. He also called for quarterly independent monitoring of roadwork impacts, revision of the project design to protect environmentally sensitive zones, and preparation of a river restoration and rehabilitation plan. “The Umngot River is not merely a water body, it is a living symbol of Meghalaya’s heritage and the spirit of sustainable coexistence,” Syngkon wrote. “If immediate remedial measures are not taken, we risk losing a globally renowned natural wonder.” he warned. PTI JOP MNB
