NGT asks state to set deadline for cleaning streams

SHILLONG: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday took up the reply by respondents, the state government and others to the report submitted by petitioner Naba Bhattacharjee on the pollution of the Wahumkhrah, the Umshyrpi and the Umiam.
The tribunal asked the state to act in a time-bound manner instead of resorting to paperwork.
It also directed the government, which has termed Bhattacharjee’s suggestions as positive, to furnish a report on the implementation before the next hearing on February 8.
The tribunal also advised the respondents to follow the best practices of solid waste management adopted for both urban and rural areas in states particularly Goa, besides Sikkim, Maharashtra, Gujarat and others.
The court also decided to make Khasi Hills and the Jaintia Hills (KHADC) a party to the case by impleading since the report also highlights the fact that although action is visible in improved solid waste management within municipal areas, there was no change in non-civic areas within the KHADC jurisdiction.
The court also took serious note of many guest houses and hotels still discharging sewage and waste water directly without installing ETP or increasing capacity of existing septic tanks and others.