SHILLONG: The government has not made any proposal to shift the present disposal of garbage from Mawlai Marten to a new area though an alternate site is being examined.
This was informed by Minister of Urban Affairs Hamletson Dohling to a question posed by Congress MLA PT Sawkmie.
In reply to a supplementary query, the minister informed that three sites were identified as they comply with the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016.
He added that environmental impact assessment for using the sites for processing and disposal facilities of solid waste will be prepared and presented to stakeholders and the public.
As for the new sites, the land will be initiated for acquisition after which the waste processing and disposal facilities will be developed at the final site after obtaining the environmental clearance.
In reply to a supplementary question, Dohling said, “The government is serious with doing its work to find an alternate land for the marten. The Task Force Committee has been doing its work. Process is on to find the site, till now no site was found.”
Congress MLA Zenith Sangma expressed concern over the location of the dumping ground in the residential area and pitched for an uninhabited location.
Ampareen Lyngdoh questioned the practice of burning of rejects at the dumping ground.
Replying to the query, Dohling said that he has taken over the department recently “Let me visit the site and come up with a better solution for this,” he assured.
ADB projects
at Marten
Speaking about the schemes, Dohling pointed to the ADB projects at Marten saying development of a sanitary landfill at the same site is also being taken up over an area of 15,000 sqm at an estimated cost of about Rs 27.09 crore.
Dohling said Phase I of the work over an area of 6,500 sqm was completed and commissioned on October 2, 2017, and the same is being used at present for non-degradable waste.
“Phase II that costs Rs 19.33 crore is in progress. About 55 per cent is complete and the project is scheduled for completion in December 2018,” he said.
The sanitary landfill
works consist of development of landfill (excavation, laying of clay Liner, HDPE Membrane, Leachate collection system etc.), retaining walls estimated at Rs 12.5 crore and boundary wall including cattle proof fencing, leachate holding tank, weigh bridge installations.
“Other associated items of works like drain, approach road, area lighting, guard room and water supply systems. A garage cum workshop for the garbage vehicles of SMB was also constructed at Marten at a cost of about Rs 2.53 crore. About 98 per cent of the work is completed,” Dohling said.
New compost plant
Dohling informed that a new compost plant in place of the old one is being constructed under the ADB-MoUD assisted North Eastern Region Capital Cities Development Investment Programme (NERCCDIP) at a cost of Rs 15.79 crores. The work is in progress and estimated time of completion is January 2019.
