Shillong, Nov 23: Stone quarrying continues unabated along the Meghalaya-Assam border, leaving deep scars on the local ecology.
Residents of Umnawe village in Ri Bhoi’s Jirang constituency are being affected by stone mining and constant blasting.
One resident, who has been living in the village for 30 years now, told Meghalaya Monitor that the blasting close to his house will damage the house, affect the livestock and render the land useless.
“We might be able to run away from the stone, but what about our livestock and plantation? They won’t be able to run away,” he said.
The quarrying site is about 300 m from his house. According to sources in the village, there are about six houses in the vicinity of the quarry.
Another villager said men from the quarry asked her and her family to run away before the blasting on Sunday. “I was drying vegetables. Why would I run away from my own house? They kept insisting on blasting… that’s why I told him if you want to blast, then it’s up to you, but make sure that no stone falls on my land,” she added.
The blasting has been going on for some time. On Friday (November 21), one of the villagers saw the quarry workers preparing for the blasting and stopped them.
“I asked my husband to speak to them, and when he did, they stopped blasting for a while now,” she said.
Meghalaya Monitor was told that there would be a meeting on Monday.
“We won’t give our land away. They might give us (alternate) land, but what about the plantation? How will I raise my children? I don’t want to get into any agreement with them, nor will I accept money from them,” said the male resident.
A letter has been sent to the Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner on Sunday.
Earlier, Meghalaya Monitor had reported on stone quarrying near Nongthymmai-Garo village in the same constituency. The National Green Tribunal had taken up the case suo motu. The MLA from Jirang constituency is Sosthenes Sohtun from the NPP. Both Umnowe and Nongthymmai-Garo are on the Assam-Meghalaya border.
However, there is no let-up in the quarrying exercise, and companies are continuing work with impunity.
