Eco-warriors decry degradation of Meghalaya's Shillong Peak

Raising an alarm over the deteriorating conditions at the famed Shillong Peak, environmentalists have accused tourists of turning the picturesque locale into a virtual garbage dump.

Members of the Green-Tech Foundation (GTF), a leading non-profit in Meghalaya, were aghast during their visit to the Laitkor site on June 13. The iconic meadows were littered with discarded plastic bottles, liquor containers, and other waste materials.

GTF Chairperson H. Bansiewdor Nonglang expressed concern that Shillong Peak, a natural treasure and tourist magnet, is being defaced by thoughtless visitors. According to Nonglang, the area has devolved into an unregulated hangout zone where unchecked drinking and revelry continue until late hours.

Nonglang highlighted multiple shortcomings, including the absence of cautionary signage, boundary fencing, and entry-exit monitoring mechanisms at the site governed by Hima Mylliem authorities.

Nonglang noted that unrestricted vehicular movement only compounds the crisis, urging the local Syiem (Chief) to intervene urgently and enforce deterrents. He cautioned that failure to act could reduce Shillong Peak to a den of illicit activities, irreparably tarnishing its reputation.

The eco-crusaders blamed the lackadaisical attitude of visitors for transforming the once-pristine location into an eyesore. They vowed to launch campaigns to inculcate a sense of civic responsibility among tourists.