Natural beauty of State should not be destroyed to promote tourism: Meghalaya High Court

The Meghalaya High Court on Wednesday exhorted the State government to acknowledge and be proactive in tackling the destruction of ecology in the State. [In Re: Cleanliness of Umiam Lake].A bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W Diengdoh made it clear that the lack of employment opportunities cannot be a license to appropriate forest land and waterbodies or to destroy flora and fauna."In the absence of any other employment opportunities and in the name of promoting tourism, the natural beauty of the State should not be destroyed and the State should be alive to the problem," the Court said..The High Court was hearing a plea regarding the cleanliness of Umiam lake and the areas around other such water bodies in Meghalaya.The Court expressed concern over the contamination of water and destruction of forests in the State."The fragile biosphere and the ecology of the State have to be protected even as, on a daily basis, large chunks of forestland are being appropriated for human habitation or use. The State must indicate the measures taken by it to arrest deforestation as stretches along the highways all over the State reveal felling of trees and more and more of the mountain being chopped off for construction purposes," the bench observed.The Court further pointed out that several rivers, including the Umkhrah river in Shillong, carried contaminated water and may not even be fit to step into. "Elsewhere, rivers and streams which may not be perennial carry so much filth and dirt that people living downstream are deprived of the use of the water altogether," the Court added. .The bench proceeded to express disappointment over the Meghalaya Waterbodies (Preservation and Conservation) Guidelines, 2023, opining that a better set of norms should be put in place in six weeks time. Even though the guidelines say that garbage and debris should not be dumped in waterbodies, "it is surprising" that the guidelines do not indicate the distance to be maintained between waterbodies and construction sites, the Court noted."The guidelines introduced by the State as disclosed in the affidavit fall woefully short of the expectations or the measures necessary to protect the waterbodies, particularly the Umiam Lake ... The guidelines do not deal with the most serious aspect of buildings and construction mushrooming around waterbodies ... In short, the guidelines of 2023 published by the State appear to be more of a formality without addressing the real issues ... The State has to do much better," the Court opined..The bench, therefore, called for a more wholesome approach by the State and sought the cooperation of District Councils and citizens in this regard, to prepare and enforce an action plan..In earlier orders, the High Court had prohibited construction work around waterbodies. This ban was ordered to be continued in the latest order..Water rates charged by private tankers in Shillong exorbitant; State must rein them in: Meghalaya High Court.Advocate SP Mahanta served as Amicus Curiae in the case. Advocates S Sengupta and KP Bhattacharjee represented the Meghalaya government..[Read order]