Slow death of a river
The name of Old Khowai River is to be found in the history books of this land, alongside many other mighty rivers of the country. Unfortunately, it is perhaps on its way to being added to a list of dead rivers unless something is done immediately to save it.
This once flowing river, winding through Habiganj town, is now slowly choking to death from the garbage that is indiscriminately dumped into it. The level of pollution in the drastically narrowed down river has taken a serious turn as municipal waste is also being dumped there. And to add to its woes, some unscrupulous people are grabbing the land on the dried up riverbed and on its banks with total impunity, despite the fact that eviction drives were initiated in 2019.
The Old Khowai River, in its heyday, used to be the lifeline of the district town. It was 250 to 300 feet wide and 25 to 40 feet deep. Today, it has shrunk to 20 to 150 feet in width, and a lack of water makes it barely navigable. Waste materials are rotting in its shallow water, polluting the surrounding environment as well. Reportedly, a number of structures, from private residential ones to government buildings and a multi-storey general hospital, are being built on the banks of the river. It beggars belief that such illegal activities are being carried out right before the eyes of the relevant authorities.
For years, this daily has been persistently reporting on the stories of encroachment, land-grabbing and pollution that have led to the sad demise of many other rivers around the country. In almost all of these instances, we have found the fingerprints of local influential people, operating under the protection of politically powerful groups. In the case of the Old Khowai, we have also found the presence of such quarters behind the destruction of the river.
Environmental activists have also pointed out that the river plays a vital role in maintaining the town's rainwater harvesting and ecological balance during monsoon. However, it can hardly play its due role in the present moribund state. Unless steps are taken immediately, the river will soon be heading towards death.
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