Meghalaya: Rinngi river becomes latest victim of human greed

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TURA | Jan, 29:

The Rinngi River near Chibinang village under Phulbari in West Garo Hills (WGH) district of Meghalaya became the latest victim of human greed as devastation of natural resources in the plain belt continues unabated.

Concerned residents, who live close to the river bed earlier highlighted the matter seeking an end to such wanton acts of destruction being carried out in the name of earning a quick buck through the devastation of nature.

Every day, many vehicles (picture attached) have been going to the river bed and picking up sand from the bed of the river apparently without the permission of any state or local authorities. The situation has become so critical that deep ponds have now been formed in the river where the unscrupulous few having been digging up sand.

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"Their picking up sand from the river bed has widened the bed of the Ringgi river and in the coming days will definitely pose a problem of water scarcity or flooding. The area itself is very sensitive due to early floods and these few characters are putting everyone at risk," said one of the Chibinang residents on the condition of anonymity.

The president of AMMSU, Nur Islam, a local NGO, has also hit out at the unregulated act of sand mining saying the matter cannot be allowed to continue.

"We just can't understand as to why authorities remain mum on such critical subjects despite knowing the devastation that can be caused by these random acts. It is condemnable and we have to protect the environment better than what is currently being done," said Islam.  

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The sand mining, according to locals is currently taking place in the Bangalkhata area of Chibinang, with there being no one with the will to stop the act.

The village of Chibinang has been in the news due to continued acts of environment destruction. While earlier there were cases of wanton forest destruction, some have now moved into the destruction of one of the principal rivers of the state. The Rinngi river meets with the mighty Brahmaputra a few kms from where the sand mining is currently taking place.