GUWAHATI, Aug 4 � Earth-cutting and deforestation on the foothills near Jorabat has emerged as a grave environmental hazard, adversely affecting the fragile hill eco-system and triggering a host of civic woes for the residents of Panjabari, Khanapara, Basistha, Beltola, etc., areas.
Flash floods, waterlogging and dust pollution have aggravated in the area due to the deforestation and earth-cutting in the foothills. Once a picturesque area with verdant hills on both sides of the meandering highway, Jorabat�s beautiful landscape now stands disfigured with ugly scars due to the vandalism taking place on the foothills. With much of the green cover of the foothills now eroded, particularly those on the Meghalaya side, the red topsoil has become loose and a short spell of rain is enough to bring it down.
�Dust pollution is a constant problem with a veil of dust covering the area all the time. Waterlogging is another menace, as the hills are now bereft of much of their water-retention capacity due to deforestation. A single burst of shower is enough to inundate parts of the highway and low-lying areas,� a local resident said.
With the rainy season on, the threat of landslides also looms large over the area. �With the monsoons on, landslides are a distinct possibility in the area. A landslide here will not only cause destruction of life and property but will also block the arterial highway linking Guwahati with areas in the east and the south,� he said.
The developments have serious ecological implications as well. Several reserve forests including the Amchang wildlife sanctuary near Jorabat form a contiguous belt of jungle known for its wide-ranging flora and fauna. If the present disturbances are allowed to go on, it is likely to cause irreparable damage to the eco-system. The deforestation on the foothills is further worsening the problem of flash floods and waterlogging in the plain areas of Panjabari, Beltola and Basistha. It is likely to affect even more areas up to Digaru in the near future.
Local residents have called for intervention of the State Government to take up the matter with its Meghalaya counterpart. While most of the hills bearing the brunt of earth-cutting may be in Meghalaya, the demand for the earth, however, comes mostly from the city. Rows of trucks coming towards the city, carrying earth from the hills, are a common sight in the area.
Concerned local citizens have also called upon the NGOs engaged in environmental protection to protect the foothills from human-induced devastations.
