Meeting for River Cleanliness and Conservation

GRK Firmly believes that in order to save our environment we must save our rivers. GRK has had a meeting with federal units for River conservation and Cleaning. The recorded minutes are as below

GRK(C)/Meeting-2/2017                                                                                                           8.7.2017

To,

            The President, Federal unit of GRK

Bam, Gori-Soi, Nyigam-Regi, Pagi, Disi, Esi, Sago, Piri, Chirne, Kadi, Ego-Yamin, Nyobom, Kamdak-Everest, Nyodu, Galu,  Padi, Chisi, Dali, Dari.

Sub:     River cleanliness and conservation campaign

Sir,

            As you would agree, rivers and streams are crucial to our economy and survival. All the rivers small or big are undergoing an alarming tendency of drying up may it is due to global warming or human acts of deforestation etc. The small rivers and streams in our area are no exception. Our rivers being non-glacier fed i.e forest based are therefore, more vulnerable to drying with unregulated and unthought-out human interventions and actions. The importance of conserving our surface water can also be understood from the following facts:

• Fresh water contribute to only 3% of total water in the world

• Surface water share is only 0.3% of the total Fresh water

• Rivers and Streams share is only 2% of Surface water

• Effectively, Rivers and Streams share is only .0002% of total water in the world

• Total utilisable water in India is 1521 Billion Cubic Metre (BCM)

• In 2006, total water consumed in India is 879 BCM

• In 2025, it is estimated that 1093 BCM water shall be required annually

• Going by the trend of population growth and other parameters, by 2050, availability of water and annual requirement may balance out in India as per experts and field data. The early attainment of a developed nation category may mean higher use of water per capita per day, which in turn can bring the predicament earlier than assessed.

Hence, for our future generation, it is important that we conserve our precious water resources. In order to gain in terms of good health and economy, it is also important that we maintain clean environment in and around the rivers and streams. The Executive Committee of GRK in its sitting on the 17th of June has therefore decided that the federal units of the GRK of the peripheral villages of all rivers and streams shall take following steps: 

                      I. Cleanliness of rivers and streams as per given order

                 Bam Hile – GRKbam, GRKkadi, GRKego-yamin

Hei River– GRKesi, GRKgs, GRKchirne, GRKnyobom, Bazar Secretary (old & Staff cant.)

Kidi River– GRKdisi, GRKpagi, GRKkamdak-everest, GRKnyigam-regi, GRKnyodu, GRKgalu, Bazar Secretary   (Staff canteen)

                 Hipo & Hingen River – GRKsago & GRKpiri

Ego River – GRKpadi, GRKchisi, DWS (GRKdali), GRKdari, Secretary Ego camp

The above mentioned federal units shall take up cleanliness drive which shall include the following activities:

a) Launching of cleanliness programme on a fixed day simultaneously, that shall be    informed in due course by the Executive Committee GRK.

b) Measures to sustain the cleanliness through awareness amongst the people about the reasons to keep the rivers/streams clean.

c) Identification of pollutants like domestic wastes, black water (septic waste), chemical wastes like insecticides, pesticides, weedicites, herbicides etc and adoption of resolutions to control the pollutions.

d) Stopping littering in and around water bodies.

            If chemical contaminants can be shunned, then it will not only benefit people drinking the water but also promote growth of fish and other marine lives. Even, pisciculture cum paddy culture can be taken up in the WRC fields using the water in the downstream.

II. Conservation of water sources is as important as cleanliness if not more. All the GRK federal units are advised to adopt following measures:

a) To work towards reducing deforestation/Jhuming. Till alternatives to Jhuming is evolved atleast restriction on Jhum cultivation in the catchment areas of drinking water sources. This should gradually move to total shifting from Jhum cultivation in future.

b) Encourage organic vegetable cultivations in WRC field in off seasons.

c) Sharing of fields amongst each other

d) Taking up water recharge measures like catch pits (dug pits of say size 2m by 2m by 1m depth) in the catchment areas of water sources for trapping the rain water and rejuvenating the water sources in the downstream side.

e) Adopting the principle of plant 4 for 1 felled tree (4 Hichir/Tagu/Unyum etc may be planted in rigre or boundary for each big tree felled in Jhuming process).

Yours faithfully,

(Tomo Basar)

President GRK

Copy to:

1. The Secretary General GRK

2. The Vice Presidents GRK

3. President GRK federal units

4. Zilla Parishad Members

5. Anchal Chairpersons

6. Chief Spokesperson GRK