From our Staff Correspondent
SHILLONG, Sept 12: Residents of Mawkyrwat, headquarters of new South West Khasi Hills district, are concerned that river Sala, the only source of potable drinking water for them, might be contaminated in the wake of fresh wave of urbanisation. The locals want that prior care should be taken so that river pollution does not become a hazardous issue for the posterity. The alert citizens from all walks of life yesterday urged the district administration to “protect” the catchment area along the river Sala so that it did not turn into another Umkhrah river, flowing through Shillong. Local citizens and farmers held a meeting with deputy commissioner Aldous Mawlong at Mawkyrwat. Leader of the delegation Synsharlang Lyngdoh said urbanisation was bound to come once the government decided to upgrade Mawkyrwat as the new district headquarters. “But see that the water body is not contaminated due to new settlements and other development works,” he said. River Umkhrah that runs through the State capital is under serious threat now. The deputy commissioner said he was aware of the matter adding public health engineering had already been assigned to carry out the survey works in this regard.