Shillong, Nov 20: While due to unscientific coal mining there are reports that several water bodies in the state are facing problem due to water pollution.
However, Meghalaya government does not seem to be in any particular hurry to come out with its much awaited “Water Policy.”
Moving at snail’s pace, the policy is yet to see the light of the day.
Even, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) last year that twenty-eight out of the thirty-one water bodies in six districts of Meghalaya are highly contaminated and “unfit to drink”, the Meghalaya government do not seems to be in any particular hurry to come out with its much awaited “Water Policy.”
Meghalaya deputy chief minister, who also holds the Water Resources department portfolio Rowell Lyngdoh however said the policy could not be implemented since the Government is yet to take the views of different stakeholders on the policy.
Reports have revealed that the major cause of river pollution is mostly due to unscientific coal mining. The rivers flowing in Jaintia hills district are the ones that are badly affected because of coal mining and now the districts are facing acute scarcity of drinking water.
Interestingly, though the Government wants to take the views of MLAs before forming the policy , however, after Assembly election many new faces were elected and therefore, the Government is yet to take the views of the MLAs. Not only this, according to the Minister the views of thre three autonomous district council as also important since the Government cannot go ahead with the policy without the taking the views of the District Councils for the fear of getting blamed.
Lyngdoh defended the delay saying that the department is still in the process of incorporating the views and suggestions.
This policy once formulated would address the issues related to protection, preservation and conservation of the water bodies in the state.
Lyngdoh maintained the proposed water policy would also regulate the use of even ground water since people in Shillong are now drilling water from the ground which is not a healthy trend.
After the policy, the Government is hoping that it can regulate and prescribed legislations and that can save the water resources of the state and the policy will also hold provisions for quality control of water in the state.(SP News)
