Shillong, Aug 3: Roadside and open space cooking by tourists and visitors has become a huge menace in Sohra as the persons doing so also left mounds of garbage for the locals to worry about.
Faced with widespread local anger, the authorities have now decided to act. Henceforth, no roadside cooking or open space cooking is allowed in the entire stretch of the road from Shillong to Sohra and Shella.
In an order passed today, Sohra Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Mark Andrew Challam while warning of stringent legal steps against roadside or open space cookers and picknickers, also said that such picknicking should be done only in areas designated by the village authorities.
The order issued by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate was welcomed by majority of the people of Sohra area who were disgusted by the rampant litter and plastic pollution caused by open space picknicking and roadside cooking.
The road from Mawkdok to Sohra and the road from Mawjrong to Kyrdemkhla has witnessed some of the worst littering by tourists including local visitors. Efforts by local people to clean up the left over garbage has proved futile as the littering practice is continued by new visitors.
Now that the prohibition is in place, local people are hoping that the real beauty of Sohra would be restored and that cleanliness that Sohra is known for would remain a heritage passed down not only to locals but also visitors.
Also Watch
