By Toki Blah
The standoff at Marten between the Seng Samla Mawlai Pyllun (SSMP) and the Minister, Urban Affairs, Govt of Meghalaya has now been called off based on the spot visit of the Minister to Marten and agreement to meet and further discuss the matter between the two parties on the August 3. Solid waste disposal for the entire Shillong conglomerate was thus given temporary breathing space for the time being. We shall of course merrily continue to dump our garbage at Marten and the “Out of sight , out of Mind” mentality of the citizens will continue to flourish , that is until a fresh crisis erupts again. To tell the truth it seems that our leaders, our elders, citizens as a whole and the entire machinery at the disposal of the state seem at a total loss on how to dispose of the waste we generate. A belief seems to prevail that we are the only people on earth faced with such a problem and that the only solution lies in another 19th century Marten waste disposal model termed as a “Land Fill system”. Other people the world over have discovered new technologies and sustainable methods in disposing their waste. Rediscovering the wheel however continues to remain a Meghalayan obsession!.
The SSMP agitated with an agenda and the agenda was shifting the waste dumping site at Marten to some other place. It’s quite obvious that Marten has outlived its purpose and the pollution and stench it emits has become a menace and a nuisance to the residents of Mawlai Pyllun. The SSMP agenda has the full support of the people of Mawlai and nearby areas who are primary local stakeholders to this local problem of the locality. The other party involved in the Marten crisis is the Urban Affairs Department headed by a Minister whose agenda, to be quite honest, is not so clear. People are yet to be convinced whether he is in Government to serve the people and his department or his own business interest. Be that as it may, the dismal failure of the department to find a solution to the Marten problem for the last 50 years is disgraceful. This must be a record of sorts for departmental apathy and indifference. Ministerial and departmental priority and interest in the matter seem to be in absolute short supply. The Urban Affairs Department as such is a stakeholder that is apparently approaching the current crisis with an unclear, ad-hoc and unreliable agenda.
Of much greater concern therefore is the indifferent stance of the people of Shillong to the status of Marten; their apparent indifference to the larger question of solid waste management and most important the outcome of the discussions between the SSMP and the Urban Affairs Department. The upshot of these discussions are going to affect each and every one of us and therefore the silence of the Dorbars of Shillong who represent the civic interest of the people of this city is disturbing if not actually alarming. Does it mean that the Rangbah Shnongs of the localities of Shillong have nothing to say on the matter? Do they not consider themselves primary stakeholders to discussions; decisions and outcomes of what happens to the garbage that comes out of their respective localities? The solution for our waste disposal is not another landfill. The landfill “throw and forget” model of Marten can no longer serve our modern waste disposal requirements and it is doubtful if any community or village will be willing to part with land for such a purpose. Yet news reports emanating from the discussions at Marten indicate that alternate landfills are still on the agenda as potential solutions. What we really require is a sustainable and viable waste management system that poses no threat to the environment and nearby communities. It is therefore not only necessary but indispensable for Dorbars of Shillong Conglomerate to have an agenda for a permanent and viable solution to the Marten problem and to present this viewpoint to the Govt for its consideration.
An unfortunate aspect of our present solid waste garbage disposal practice is that segregation of waste has not been possible. One is however given to understand that such a practice also prevails in other parts of the world and that the Koreans have developed a technology wherein unsegregated waste (as what happens in Shillong) is processed into fuel briquettes. These briquettes are sold and the entire process is self sustaining. So the focus should now be on a waste processing unit not a landfill where waste is simply dumped, forgotten then left to rot and stink. It is believed that the Koreans had visited Shillong and had offered such processing technology to the state but the main stumbling block had been availability of land to set up the unit.
Now if the CM can facilitate land in a declared wild life sanctuary for the expansion of Star Cements mining operations, I see no reason why our politicians cannot bestir themselves to procure some land for setting up a garbage processing plant not only for Shillong but for all the other urban units of Meghalaya. It is the need of the hour! Funding under the Smart City project and from DoNER should not be a problem and the interest of the people will be served.
Mr Naba Bhattacharjee, member of the State Planning Board had visited garbage processing units in Korea, had interacted with the Koreans and has detailed information on how this process works. His views can shed more light in our search for an environmentally friendly garbage disposal system. A permanent solution based on proven waste disposal technology should be the demand and agenda of our main stakeholders – the Dorbar Shnongs of Shillong. Simply shifting Marten to some other landfill location is not the permanent solution that we need. Dorbars should be united in their demand for the Govt to sit up and listen.