The Government of Meghalaya, on July 6, 2026, notified the Meghalaya Waterbodies (Conservation and Protection) Amendment Guidelines, 2026, pursuant to directions of the Hon’ble High Court of Meghalaya in PIL No. 10 of 2019, In Re: Cleanliness of Umiam Lake v. State of Meghalaya. The amendment further modifies the Meghalaya Waterbodies (Conservation and Protection) Guidelines, 2023, as amended in 2024, following a review by the Expert Committee in light of amendments to the Meghalaya Building Bye-laws during 2024–25.
The amended Guidelines apply to the whole of Meghalaya and will come into force from their publication in the Meghalaya Gazette. The principal change is the substitution of Appendix-2, with two new appendices: Appendix-2A, prescribing general siting norms for areas other than urban areas (non-industrial), and Appendix-2B, prescribing specific siting norms for industrial areas and standalone industrial units located outside urban areas.
Appendix-2A specifically introduces siting norms for buildings and other structures for riverine waterbodies in areas other than urban areas. The notification therefore establishes revised location/siting requirements around waterbodies, with separate treatment for non-urban areas and industrial areas.
[Notification No. FOR/CC/29/2019/Pt/771]
