Post by L Roebuck on Apr 13, 2006 7:23:53 GMT -5
Caving in to threat of modernisation
Meghalaya has always been a popular tourist destination because of its sylvan hills and pleasant weather. However, what is now attracting the globetrotter is large number of caves located all around the state.
In the last one decade, with the discovery of over one thousand caves in different parts of the state, it has become a hub of cave explorers and adventurers from all over the world.
Recently, a 17-member team comprising spelaeologists from England, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria and Ireland besides India linked the `Krem Um Im-Liat Prah` cave system in Jaintia Hills to the `Krem Labbit (Khaidong)` caves to create a single cave system of 22,202.65 metres which is the longest known cave in the Indian sub continent.
"During the discovery of the longest cave in the subcontinent, 39 other caves were also explored, mapped and photographed to discover 15,498 m of new cave passage in the state, " says Brian Kharpran Dally, a spelaeologist from Meghalaya, who was also a part of the team.
Till the early 1990s, very little was known about the caves of Meghalaya. About a dozen caves were known to the people. In 1995, an organisation known as the Meghalaya Adventurers Association (MAA) started its first expedition. Today there are approximately 1060 discovered caves in the state.
"Since 1995, we have been undertaking expeditions under the `Caving in the abode of the clouds` project. It has led to unexpected discoveries," says, Brian who is the general secretary of MAA.
There has not been much research about the origin and nature of these caves, but the spelaeologists feel that these caves are of great research value.
"They are a scientific resource for every conceivable scientific researcher, be he an archeologist, a paleontologist, a hydrologist, a climatologist etc," says Brian.
The government of Meghalaya is also trying to promote adventure tourism in the state through these caves. In co-ordination with the MAA, packaged tours of some of these caves are organised for the tourists.
"I had the opportunity to visit some of the well-known caves such as `Mawsmai`. It was amazing. After a narrow vertical opening, there were amphitheatre like halls of varying sizes and shape inside," says Akhilesh Bhattacharjee, a Kolkata-based tourist who had been to the Meghalaya caves.
But due to lack of proper conservation, many of these caves are facing the threat of extinction. One of India`s longest cave systems, `Krem Kotsati Umlawan` is already facing destruction from a huge cement plant which has come up virtually over the top of the cave.
The `Shnongrim` Ridge which is unique for having the largest concentration of caves in the state is also threatened. The constant mining of coal in the region is threatening the very existence of the caves there.
"Rampant quarrying of limestone to feed the ever increasing cement factories in the state are posing a grave danger to these caves," says Brian, a Tenzing Norgay adventure sports award winner.
"The caves of Meghalaya are the country`s rich heritage assets which would warrant protection for posterity. Caves are natural museums in which evidence of past animal, past people, past culture, past climate could be deciphered, " he says.
Proper conservation along with thorough research is required to save these caves from extinction.
Bureau Report
www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=287962&sid=ZNS
Meghalaya has always been a popular tourist destination because of its sylvan hills and pleasant weather. However, what is now attracting the globetrotter is large number of caves located all around the state.
In the last one decade, with the discovery of over one thousand caves in different parts of the state, it has become a hub of cave explorers and adventurers from all over the world.
Recently, a 17-member team comprising spelaeologists from England, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria and Ireland besides India linked the `Krem Um Im-Liat Prah` cave system in Jaintia Hills to the `Krem Labbit (Khaidong)` caves to create a single cave system of 22,202.65 metres which is the longest known cave in the Indian sub continent.
"During the discovery of the longest cave in the subcontinent, 39 other caves were also explored, mapped and photographed to discover 15,498 m of new cave passage in the state, " says Brian Kharpran Dally, a spelaeologist from Meghalaya, who was also a part of the team.
Till the early 1990s, very little was known about the caves of Meghalaya. About a dozen caves were known to the people. In 1995, an organisation known as the Meghalaya Adventurers Association (MAA) started its first expedition. Today there are approximately 1060 discovered caves in the state.
"Since 1995, we have been undertaking expeditions under the `Caving in the abode of the clouds` project. It has led to unexpected discoveries," says, Brian who is the general secretary of MAA.
There has not been much research about the origin and nature of these caves, but the spelaeologists feel that these caves are of great research value.
"They are a scientific resource for every conceivable scientific researcher, be he an archeologist, a paleontologist, a hydrologist, a climatologist etc," says Brian.
The government of Meghalaya is also trying to promote adventure tourism in the state through these caves. In co-ordination with the MAA, packaged tours of some of these caves are organised for the tourists.
"I had the opportunity to visit some of the well-known caves such as `Mawsmai`. It was amazing. After a narrow vertical opening, there were amphitheatre like halls of varying sizes and shape inside," says Akhilesh Bhattacharjee, a Kolkata-based tourist who had been to the Meghalaya caves.
But due to lack of proper conservation, many of these caves are facing the threat of extinction. One of India`s longest cave systems, `Krem Kotsati Umlawan` is already facing destruction from a huge cement plant which has come up virtually over the top of the cave.
The `Shnongrim` Ridge which is unique for having the largest concentration of caves in the state is also threatened. The constant mining of coal in the region is threatening the very existence of the caves there.
"Rampant quarrying of limestone to feed the ever increasing cement factories in the state are posing a grave danger to these caves," says Brian, a Tenzing Norgay adventure sports award winner.
"The caves of Meghalaya are the country`s rich heritage assets which would warrant protection for posterity. Caves are natural museums in which evidence of past animal, past people, past culture, past climate could be deciphered, " he says.
Proper conservation along with thorough research is required to save these caves from extinction.
Bureau Report
www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=287962&sid=ZNS