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New landfill site soon, Dhar assures

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SHILLONG, July 22: Under pressure from the Seng Samla Mawlai Pyllun (SSMP), Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Thursday inspected the Marten dumping ground and assured steps to identify a new landfill site soon.
The SSMP had on Wednesday locked the gate of the Marten dumping site and stopped garbage trucks from entering it after Dhar failed to inspect the area despite being served a 14-day deadline. This led to a traffic snarl.
“I understand there is a need to identify a new sanitary landfill site to address the issues of the Marten dumping ground. The matter to identify the new site is under process,” Dhar told reporters after the joint inspection of the dumping ground with the members of the SSMP, local legislator PT Sawkmie, local MDC Teibor Pathaw and senior officials.
Officials said the government has identified two locations in Ri-Bhoi district for the development of a new landfill site. They said the government has decided to adopt a new strategy for selecting such sites after having faced opposition from locals earlier.
“The government is trying to convince the people that the new landfill site will not become another Marten,” an official said, declining to be quoted.
The government is also learnt to be exploring the option of developing a new landfill site at Umsawli in New Shillong Township.
The government had to abandon the proposal after the Synjuk ki Nongsynshar Shnong, Shilliang Umkhen had opposed the landfill site plan at Umsawli. But the land belongs to the government, the officials pointed out.
Dhar said Urban Affairs Department has decided to convene a meeting with all the stakeholders on August 3 to find a solution to the problems at the Marten site. “The stench emanating from the dumping ground is an issue,” he said.
Pointing out that it was the duty of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) to address the Marten problem, the Minister said he was ready to discuss it. He lauded the SSMP for raising a major issue by locking the gate of the dumping ground.
Officials agreed the Marten site cannot take the garbage of all the localities under the Shillong agglomeration anymore. “A total of 150 metric tonnes of garbage are dumped at Marten daily but we are able to recycle only 20 MT since many localities are yet to start segregating the waste. The few that do include Rynjah and Lumshyiap,” the official said.
The state government had been trying in vain to set up a waste recycling plant at Marten for two decades now.
SSMP president Samuel Biam said they decided to open the Marten site gate following the Minister’s assurance. “We are ready to help the government in identifying the new sanitary landfill site,” he said.
He also said they are exploring the possibilities of identifying land for a landfill site that will cater to various localities under the Mawlai constituency.
The SSMP president said it was unfortunate that the state government reacted only after they closed the gate of the Marten dumping ground.
“We hope the government will take immediate measures on issues affecting the general public on its own and not wait for the citizens to agitate,” Biam said.
He also asked the government to adopt proper technology to treat the biomedical waste at the Marten plant.
Sawkmie said he had taken up the issue of hazardous stench emanating from the Marten site with the Meghalaya Governor and the Union Environment Minister. “The air the locals are breathing is toxic,” he said.

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