Major water security project underway to protect Shillong's future: Minister

Meghalaya is implementing an ambitious watershed management initiative to secure water supplies for its growing urban centres, particularly the New Shillong Township.

The MegARISE project, launched in 2022-23 with funding from KfW Germany, represents a comprehensive approach to catchment protection worth several crores. The seven-year initiative, running until 2029-30, focuses on the critical Umiew and Ganol catchments that supply water to Shillong and Tura.

Public Health Engineering Minister Marcuise N Marak outlined the project's scope, which includes forestry and agro-forestry plantations, soil conservation measures, and integrated catchment area management. The initiative specifically aims to maintain sustainable water flow for critical infrastructure, including the New Shillong Water Supply Scheme.

Water quality monitoring involves multiple agencies, with the Meghalaya State Pollution Board conducting regular assessments under the National Water Monitoring Programme. The PHE Department monitors drinking water quality twice yearly for bacteriological parameters and annually for chemical parameters.

The Umkhen River, crucial for the New Shillong water supply, has seen protective measures including chain-link fencing along a 60-metre stretch and public notices prohibiting waste dumping in catchment areas.