SHILLONG: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has expressed disappointment over the lackadaisical attitude of Jowai Municipal Board in cleaning the Myntdu river. In its order dated October 26, the tribunal said the board failed to lay a sewerage network connected to the common treatment plant to prevent domestic and other wastes from flowing into the river.
While pointing out the discrepancy in the replies of the counsels for the State Pollution Control Board and the Jowai civic board, the tribunal said though Ankit Todi, lead counsel for PCB, made submissions saying the sewerage problem was solved, the counsel for the civic board, LD Chowdhury, in his submission said the board had sought Rs 4 lakh for preparing the DPR of the common treatment plant.
NGT asked the senior advocate for MUDA, HS Thangkhiew, to take up the matter with the Urban Affairs Department and expedite the Jowai’s board’s proposal.
The tribunal also directed Jowai Municipal Board to prepare a comprehensive plan for the sewerage network in the town. It has also asked the board to take “expeditious action” to set up a solid waste treatment plant, which would include both bio-degradable and non-degradable waste treatment. The civic board has to submit the DPR for the same to NGT before the next hearing.
The state PCB was asked to submit action-taken report on enforcement of the Air and the Water Act in Jowai civic area and also file an affidavit placing on record the compliance of the directions contained in the order dated September 4.
The next hearing has been listed for November 27.
Wahumkhrah cleaning
The tribunal’s Eastern Zone Bench in Kolkata has asked the state government and PCB to submit affidavits on the status of the cleanliness of the Wahumkhrah.
During the hearing on October 26, the tribunal also directed the Urban Affairs Department to pay travel expenses of the applicants who have to visit Kolkata for the case.
One of the applicants in the case, Nababrata Bhattacharjee, raised several issues during the hearing that countered the state government’s claims.
No sewerage plant
Stating that protection of environment and rivers was not the priority of the government, Bhattacharjee said there was no solid waste processing unit in the state and some garbage was burnt due to absence of composting plant.
“Penal action for littering as prayed for in my petition has been partly implemented recently under Meghalaya Police Act through imposing fine. However, direct discharge of sewage still continues both from small and big establishments through emptying of saturated septic tanks directly into drains and water bodies,” he told the tribunal.
The activist pointed out that the Asian Development Bank had assured of funds and even prepared DPR for both solid waste and sewerage management but in absence of response from the government to provide land, the bank withdrew from this project.
Hospital issues
In a related matter on hospitals, the tribunal asked PCB to submit status report on the healthcare units which were not complying with the guidelines to set up effluent treatment plants. The pollution control board has to monitor the functioning of the treatment plants and submit a report before the next hearing on November 10.
