River Umngot, also known as the Dawki River, flows in the northeastern state of Meghalaya. It is about 100 km from Shillong and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Tourist destinations generally gain their popularity for their scenic beauty, forts, history and culture. However, the cleanliness of Umngot river is its beauty and reason for being so popular. The crystal-clear water makes it unique when compared with any other Indian river. Floating boats on the slow-moving water of this river with visible riverbed and aquatic landscape make it a surreal visual.
Beauty in being alone
India is a land of many rivers with heavy human settlements nearby them. Rivers are an integral part of Indian culture. They are respected, worshipped, and are associated with many rituals. This close connection between rivers and mankind has worked adversely on the health of the rivers. Human apathy and irresponsible conduct have turned many rivers into streams of toxins and waste. River Umngot, on the other hand, makes a lonely journey from its origin to Dawki, the place where it exits India on the Indo-Bangladesh border, the reason for its clean flow throughout. It passes through hills, canyons, and gorges that divide Jantia and Khasi hills, and through steep and difficult terrains, making it unfit for human habitation near its banks.
Umngot is a big river, having many tributaries. These tributaries also contribute clean water to the Umngot river. These tributaries flow from East Khasi and West Jantia hills and they do not bring any human waste to the river. Therefore, when other rivers in India are increasingly getting polluted due to human recklessness, this river enjoys the boon of a solitary path. Shnongpdeng, Darrang and Dawki are the only three villages on the banks of this river in the West Jantia hills. The residents of these villages understand the blessing that the nature has bestowed upon them and, therefore, are preserving it. Every morning, the residents of the Shnongdeng village take up a clean-up drive to take out garbage from the river to keep it absolutely clean.
Handling with care
River Umngot is one of the most popular tourist attractions in India that is bringing in a large number of tourists and becoming a source of livelihood for many in this region. It is also the source of life to the rice valleys of the region. Hence, it is making it imperative for the people to safeguard it in all possible ways. While the natural forests in some areas of this region were sacrificed for harvesting bamboo, on the other hand, the increasing Broom grass plantation is causing the depletion of forests on the banks of the river and is raising concern about the water level of the river. Positive governmental and local participation to maintain the ecological balance is the need of the hour.
Recently, the Meghalaya government scrapped an agreement with private power developers to execute the proposed Umngot hydroelectric project on river Umngot as it was believed that dam would disturb the scenic beauty of the nature and may also hamper the tourism industry in Shnongpdeng, Darrang, Dawki and adjoining areas, bordering Bangladesh. According to the Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum (MTDF), it is the Umngot river that has placed Meghalaya on the tourism map as an all-season destination and helped in its growth and economy.
River Umngot and the communities taking care of it are an inspiration and extend hope that if mankind acts responsibly and collaborates with nature to preserve and nurture it, the world will definitely become a better place to thrive.
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