Shillong, Jun 30: The turning of Lukha river into blue colour due to acid mine drainage is a cause of concern for the government.
Environment and Forest Minister, James Sangma informed that the state government has taken cognisance of the situation and decided to initiate active steps through the Department of Forests and Environment to look into a long-term solution for the restoration of the Lukha river.
“We have been in regular consultation with experts from the United States and from Israel, who have been researching biotechnologies for water restoration. We have currently deployed phycoremediation on a pilot experiment basis,†Sangma said.
According to him, Phycoremediation looks at the utilisation of algae for the removal of toxic contents from water.
The Environment and Forest Minister also stated that as of now, the pilot experiment has shown encouraging results, with efficiency levels beyond the government’s expectations.
“We will look to scale this up in the coming days. We also plan to implement phycoremediation for other rivers, where issues range from high acidity to high alkalinity,†he added.
The Minister also informed that the state is in the process of receiving consultation from experts.
“We hope to deploy more such measures in the coming days to maintain the pristine natural beauty of our state. While we are hopeful of witnessing a vibrant picture in the long run, we would also like to encourage various stakeholders and community groups to come forward and assist us in this initiative. We believe in mutual cooperation because when it comes to nature, it belongs to everyone,†Sangma added.