4 places identified in Shillong for landfill site: Govt

SHILLONG, Feb 9: The state government has so far identified four locations for the permanent landfill site for Shillong.
Informing this, Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, however, said that the exercise in selecting the land for the permanent landfill site in Shillong and Jowai is still on.
“75 per cent of the exercise of identifying the location has already been completed. From my side, I would like to complete the exercise at the earliest. But the process of acquisition is not a one-way traffic,” Dhar told a group of reporters here on Wednesday.
The Urban Affairs Minister, however, made it clear that he will not be able to reveal the names of the four locations.
“It will not be wise to divulge the locations since there are opposition to the proposal for setting up of the permanent landfill site,” Dhar said.
Meanwhile, according to officials, the government has identified two locations in Ri-Bhoi for a new landfill site.
“The government is trying to convince the people that the new landfill site will not become another Marten,” an official said, requesting anonymity.
It may be mentioned at present, Marten is the only place where garbage from across  Shillong is being dumped since last 87 years.
A total of 150 metric tonnes of garbage is dumped at Marten every day out of which only 20 metric tonnes is recycled.