Source: Hueiyen News Service / Sobhapati Samom
Imphal, June 09 2009:
Uncontrolled littering of non-biodegradable waste materials and subsequent felling down of trees in the catchment areas has been threatening the life span of a recently discovered popular tourist attraction Sadu Chiru waterfall in Manipur.
Littering of plastic covers of snacks by the visitors in and around the waterfall causes pollution of water bodies at the Sadu Chiru village, a tribal village in Sadar Hills of Senapati district, where the waterfall is located.
Sadu Chiru Youth Club volunteers discovered the waterfall which is all set get a facelift under state tourism department while clearing a jungle for expansion of the village in 2005 .
Since then a sizeable number of visitors have been thronging the site round the year mostly in winter.
Since it is only about 25 km from Imphal by road, nearly 500 visitors drop in everyday.
In view of the uncontrolled flow of the local tourists and subsequent littering of waste materials by the picnickers has been polluting water source and surrounding of the tourist spot.
This was discovered during a Royal Riders Manipur(RRM), an unusual team of professionals, comprising of government employees, businessmen, media persons, pharmacist and doctors sponsored environment campaign held at the waterfall site recently.
"We couldn't used the water flowing down from the waterfall for not less than three days after every seasonal rain as it has an unusual smell", says Leichonbam Thasana (40) a resident of Waroiching village located on the foot hill of the waterfall.
Before the waterfall was discovered, there was no such complaint from villagers.
Fortunately as of now there's no report of any water borne disease among the villagers around and those villagers in Bishnupur district even after they used the water.
However villagers are praying to control the pollution around the waterfall site.
In lean season again the villagers also faced scarcity of water and subsequently they could not take up cultivation in their fields.
"During lean season, we've a different tale to tell", feels Laimapokpam Leirentombi,44 of the village which had witnessed a poor harvest last year due to unavailability of water.
"We like to keep environment around the waterfall site clean and green by spreading awareness programmes among the villagers and the tourists before the heat of climate change," R K Momosana, a key member of RRM felt.
Sharing a similar sentiment, J R Awan, Chairman of the Sadu Chiru Club told this reporter that the villagers are initiating to hold a meeting to protect the waterfall sooner or later by imposing some restriction to the visitors.