SHILLONG:
The state government has asked the concerned departments to come up with a temporary solution to address the garbage issue, which has badly affected the people of Jowai, the district headquarter of West Jaintia Hills.
The direction came after the state government could not get land for setting up of a landfill despite offering huge compensation to the landowners.
“We have already instructed the municipal board, the district administration as well as the Urban Affairs department to take steps for a temporary solution (on the matter),” Tynsong told reporters.
He said it is painful to see that the garbage has been left uncollected for the past few months and that it is totally unhealthy to the residents of the area.
Stating that the real problem is the unavailability of land, Tynsong said, “Wherever we have identified land, if not the community, sometimes the landowners are not willing to part with their land – and this is happening not only in Jaintia Hills but even in Shillong. Though the state government is ready to pay the compensation, the public are against it.”
He said this keeps on delaying the government’s move to initiate solid waste management and other scientific programmes.
“Therefore, I request all the concerned stakeholders to please join with us and let us work out the alternative on how to go about it as until we have the identified site it is so difficult as to where we again dump the garbage,” Tynsong said.
According to him, people should not blame the state government alone as there is a need to take joint responsibility to address this issue.
When asked, Tynsong said due to the land tenure system in Meghalaya, many projects including roads and water supply schemes have to be abandoned due to unavailability of land.
Whether the government is considering to seek the support of the traditional heads especially the Dolloi of the Jowai Elaka, the deputy chief minister said, “Why not? Be it Dolloi, be it Raja, be it Rangbah Shnong or be it the landowners, we are ready to work together with them. We are ready to provide even the compensation depending upon the assessment to be made by the district collector.”
“My humble request to the stakeholders is please cooperate with the government… if you don’t understand don’t just blindly oppose it, come to the table and let the officers, department explain what is the benefit of setting up the solid waste management, what will be the benefit of scientific waste management which is to be set up in these localities,” he asserted.