SHILLONG:
The High Court of Meghalaya has directed the Synjuk Ki Waheh Shnong, Jowai to indicate the relevant pick-up locations in each locality, which are accessible to trucks, within this week so that the Jowai Municipal Board (JMB) can assign trucks at designated hours on specified days.
Hearing a PIL on Wednesday, the high court stated, “In addition, each locality is to nominate one person to sign the register on the day of waste collection as per schedule. This is necessary to avoid any future dispute as to whether the schedule is being adhered to or pick-up vans are being assigned to the identified locations in every locality. The petitioner should intimate the names and mobile numbers of the nominated persons in each locality to the JMB in the course of this week.”
The minutes of the meeting held on May 26 have been disclosed in the latest report filed by the Deputy Commissioner of Jowai pursuant to the previous order of May 22.
It was also resolved at the meeting that information would be given by the Synjuk Ki Waheh Shnong to all localities that plastic wastes are to be kept separately for being handed over to the JMB staff on the day of collection.
The JMB has also agreed that any further information that needs to be disseminated to the residents in Jowai town will be forwarded to the president or secretary of the Synjuk Ki Waheh Shnong Jowai for them to circulate such information to the residents.
The court observed that there is some positive development and, pursuant to the May 26 meeting between representatives of the JMB and the local headmen, certain agreed points have emerged.
The JMB has agreed to modify the schedule for waste collection and the Synjuk Ki Waheh Shnong, Jowai has also agreed to suggest two or three locations in every locality which will be identified as pick-up points.
The court pointed out that such exercise for identification of the locations was to be completed by May 31 but may not have yet been done.
A copy of the report has been made over to the advocate of the petitioner and the court stated that the petitioner should take the lead in ensuring that the points agreed to at the relevant meeting are adhered to so that there is relief to the local residents and less chance of allegations being levelled of the JMB not adhering to the disclosed schedule.
“The matter will come up next four weeks hence for both the petitioner and the Municipal Board to report on the status of waste collection and waste management in Jowai till such time that the permanent waste disposal system is set up,” the court said.
The matter is listed on July 5.