GAIACIDE IN WEST KHASI HILLS

One who journeys through West Khasi Hills, will not be able to withold one's tears from falling at the pitiable sight of mother nature. There is a systematic murder of mother Earth caused by the greed of people. It is right that Gandhiji has said "nature has enough for our needs but not enough for our greed". There are three forms of gaiacide (murder of earth) in West Khasi Hills, they are:
1) Timber industry - A large area of forest land is fast disappearing due to irresponsible felling of trees. Timber industry is back to its peak. One can see truckloads of timber being transported to different parts of India from this area. Many hills are already bald and many low lands where once thick forests abounded and animals roamed freely, today are barren lands.
2) Charcoal industry - One who travels towards Rambrai will be shocked to see heaps and heaps of charcoal on the roadside ready for transporting. It is said that Bhutan is importing a lot of charcoal from West Khasi Hills to meet the need of their Silicon factories. The irony is that Bhutan is saving her rich forest resource and is living on Meghalaya forests.
3) Coal mining - Of late, coal has been found in West Khasi Hills and consequently mining has begun. The effects of such unscientific mining are being seen and felt. TB is rampant, waters are polluted and landscapes are destroyed.
4) Imminent danger - The presence of large deposit of uranium in West Khasi Hills, is another temptation towards eco-disaster. If mining of this mineral is done the radiation that will result, will be a mortal threat to our existence.
Our Response
It is true that we need to sustain ourselves economically, but there are different ways to doing so. Man is a creative being who can survive under any circumstances. Our people should learn that exploiting the earth is not the only way to survive, nay, it is instead a suicide or even a genocide. The question we need to ask ourselves is: FOR WHOM ARE WE AMASSING WEALTH? Is it not for our children? But in doing this, what type of earth will our posterity inherit from us? As of now, it will be an earth devoid of trees, animals, clean water and beauty. STOP AND THINK AWHILE AND LET'S START DOING SOMETHING.
One day Henry David Thoreau was watching with pain some people cutting down trees. There and then he uttered loudly "Thank God they cannot cut down the clouds