SHILLONG:
Trinamool Congress MLA and opposition Chief Whip, George B. Lyngdoh has written to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on concerns raised by residents of Raid Madan Kyrdem on proposed waste disposal site in his constituency.
In the letter to the Chief Minister, he said that the state government, through the Urban Affairs Department is planning to acquire land in villages under Raid Madan Kyrdem
for the purpose of a waste disposal site.
Lyngdoh informed that, a public hearing conducted on January 8 by the district administration in the proposed site, there has been vehement opposition from the residents of Raid Madan Kyrdem.
According to the MLA, the opposition from the local and adjoining residents is because of the fact that there is complete absence of general awareness about the project and in the proposed site and its vicinity, there are numerous water sources that feeds drinking water to surrounding villages.
“There is a fear that the sources will be contaminated and destroyed if the project is initiated,” Lyngdoh said in the letter to the Chief Minister.
He also said that the people fear the loss of access to the farmlands that lie nearby the proposed site and also fear the potential health and environmental hazards that are anticipated offshoots of waste disposal sites.
Lyngdoh said the residents also oppose the intent to reduce the forest cover in the area which would impact the habitat. He said that he wants to know the type of project that is proposed to be setup in the identified site and the feasibility report/study conducted by the department.