Meghalaya’s largest river island, Nongkhnum. A Telegraph picture

Shillong, Sept. 17: Meghalaya’s largest river island is the next big thing in environmental mismanagement.

Nongkhnum, in West Khasi Hills, believed to be the second largest island in Asia after Majuli in Assam, is losing its rugged beauty, thanks to rampant deforestation and charcoal stains.

Timber sharks cut down trees and burn the wood to produce charcoal that is supplied to industrial units in Byrnihat, alloy-manufacturing units primarily.

What used to be a lush river island is slowly turning into a denuded, ash-stained stretch and the government is doing precious little to save it.

Meghalaya chief secretary Ranjan Chatterjee, who visited the island yesterday, was shocked with what he saw.

The principal chief conservator of forests, V.K. Nautiyal, who accompanied the chief secretary, said conservation measures need to be taken immediately to protect the 25square km river island.

He said the state government has drafted rules to check charcoal combustion in the area but that is yet to be discussed by the cabinet.

A blame game followed.

Nautiyal said the district council in not taking any necessary steps to check deforestation.

The West Khasi Hills district administration claimed to have done enough. It has built an approach road to the island and organised a tourism festival last year to promote the island.