O listen to the sound of the cascades, sound that captures and wins the hearts of many. The beauty and benefits of cascades which surround its children make cities and villages prosperous. When these cascades flow with all might, they capture the imagination of man far and wide. Hence, many come from faraway places to witness the beauty of these falls.
The fast-flowing water of the falls, which gradually form streams and rivulets, is pure and helps human life grow. Besides, it provides oxygen to various aquatic life forms which thrive along these water bodies.
The beauty of the cascades not only captures people’s imagination but also makes its land prosper. Though most of the cascades are located in remote places, yet tourists and even local people visit them because of their splendid beauty and its power of capturing man’s mind.
The cascades that surround the state of Meghalaya — Nohkalikai falls, Khohramhah falls, Nohsngithiang falls, Tyrshi falls, Kynrem falls, among others — give joy to mankind as the instrument of peace. Most importantly, these beautiful creations of Nature promote the economy of the state. The foaming water gushing down the hills has the power to soothe minds. The aqualife that it helps grow in turn helps human settlement around the cascades sustain. The cascades also provide livelihood to many. While in monsoon, the waters come down in full volume, in the winter months, they start drying up. Even then, the cascades support life by providing fresh water and food. It is a perfect example of living in harmony with nature.
However, mankind often forgets how Nature’s abundance helps him survive, and therefore, pollutes it by throwing plastic bags, bottles, food packets and other toxic waste into water bodies. Over years, these contaminate the water, affecting not only its beauty but killing the aquatic life. In the process, man’s livelihood, health and daily survival are also endangered. In Meghalaya, where humans live in close proximity to nature, such water pollution has grave consequences. The reasons for this are manifold. Population boom and uncontrolled tourism are among the major reasons for this. Lack of awareness among people on the long-term impact of pollution and the government’s inability to check rampant pollution are also responsible for the plight.
Therefore, let us come together and stop this water pollution to not only save its aquatic lives as they play a crucial role for local people but also to secure the future of the new generation. Harming the environment will lead to the extinction of beautiful living creatures of nature. Let us learn and be responsible to preserve nature and its beauty, and all its advantages. In conclusion, nature has a powerful transformative power which is responsible for the functioning of life on Earth. It is essential for mankind to flourish so it is our duty to conserve nature for our benefits.
Expertspeak:
Tanya Singh, Managing Trustee of Centre for Urban and Regional Excellence (CURE), an NGO that champions the cause of women empowerment, education, and social sector, says, “As an organisation, we care for the environment and is committed to building a shared future for all. With some of our initiatives such as 100% E-waste disposal year on year having started in 2016, we have gradually moved to a near 50% reduction in plastic consumption in 2021 (against a 2020 baseline year). We continue to make efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, combat climate change, and promote clean growth across all our offices and believe that small steps can contribute to building a greener tomorrow.
“Some of our measures include segregation of dry and wet waste; increasing daylight penetration through smart infrastructure design to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions; putting a complete stop to single-use plastic even in the cafeteria. Our Environment Policies also spell out a clear and futuristic path towards a greener tomorrow and, we are committed to a 100% switch to biodegradable substitutes with ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Certificate by 2023.”
