Umngot River Chokes on Road Debris: Meghalaya Fines NHIDCL ₹15 Lakh for Eco-Violations

Shillong: Once celebrated as Asia’s clearest river, the Umngot in Meghalaya’sDawki is now turning murky brown as unchecked construction waste from the JICA-funded Shillong-Dawki Highway pours into its pristine waters.

A November 3 inspection by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) exposed widespread environmental breaches across the 90-km stretch, prompting a Rs 15 lakh penalty on the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).

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Triggered by an October 19 complaint from Shillong MP Ricky AJ Syngkon, a four-member team—comprising MSPCB scientists **S. Swer** and S Syiem, East Khasi Hills Assistant Commissioner Amando Marak, and NHIDCL engineer SK Samankaray—documented rampant violations in Package 2 between Laitlyngkot and Pynursla.

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Key findings:
- Massive earth dumps without containment blocked natural streams and triggered soil erosion into the Umsong River, a tributary of Umngot.
- Two mobile stone crushers operated without MSPCB consent.
- Unregulated sand washing near Umthli stream sent muddy runoff straight into waterways.
- Excavated soil piled on ridges obstructed drainage and spiked river turbidity.

“The indiscriminate dumping has severely degraded the Umngot’s ecosystem and threatens Dawki’s tourism lifeline,” stated MSPCB’s S Syiem.

NHIDCL has been ordered to pay the fine via Demand Draft within 15 days, failing which further action will follow. The board has also mandated immediate stabilisation measures and waste containment to halt the ecological damage.