As beer bottles, chip packets, plastic wrappers, cans, and other non-biodegradable waste increasingly mar the once-pristine landscapes of Meghalaya’s Sohra, the area’s traditional governing body has imposed a ban on picnicking, open cooking, and impromptu outdoor feasts by tourists.
The measure is aimed at safeguarding the region’s fragile ecology and preserving the natural beauty of the Mawkdok-Sohra stretch and other ecologically sensitive areas under its jurisdiction, officials said.
Maremdor Syiem, the deputy chief of Ka Hima Sohra, the traditional governing body of the area, said unchecked picnic parties — both local and out-of-state — have led to widespread environmental degradation, particularly along the scenic Mawkdok-Sohra Road and nearby tourist locations.