SHILLONG, March 7: The Opposition has cast aspersions on the Meghalaya government’s decision to scout for a permanent landfill site in Kyrdem village, Ri-Bhoi, without a detailed project report (DPR).
Raising this issue on the second day of the ongoing budget session, Opposition Chief Whip, George B Lyngdoh, said there is a major flaw in the approach of the government.
“How the government decides to scout for land without any DPR? No wonder no one in the department could explain what it was trying to do with the land targeted for acquisition when the villagers had approached them,” said George B Lyngdoh, who is also the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) MLA from Umroi.
Reacting to this, Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said that the final DPR is to be prepared when the area is finalised, especially after all the villagers give their consent.
“It was for this reason that a public hearing was held on January 8 this year and a detailed presentation was made to the people on this proposed landfill site. If everything is cleared only then we will go for the final DPR,” Dhar said.
Getting back to his contention, Opposition chief whip observed that the entire preparedness exercise should look into the type of terrain in which the proposed project is to be set up.
“In the proposed area, there are many springs and water sources that feed all the villages under Raid Madan Kyrdem. Now, it is clear that the DPR is not yet prepared and the land has not been surveyed in a proper manner. Now, the people are up and are protesting against the project because the department does not even know what it is trying to set up,” the AITC legislator said.
He also informed the House that the notice for a public hearing was limited to only a select few, while many were in the dark.
According to Lyngdoh, there is a general feeling that the government does not want to take the people on board.
The AITC MLA also stressed that proper public awareness should be disseminated, adding that at least the public representative must know about the details about the project being introduced by the government.
“It is also important that legislator should be brought on board and people should be informed to ensure that such projects are successful,” Lyngdoh said.
Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang, however, maintained that the government will not go ahead with the project without the green light by the people.
“We are not going against the wishes of the people. It will be done as per the laid down norms and guidelines,” Dhar assured.
Meanwhile, another AITC legislator, Charles Pyngrope, said that the process of land acquisition for setting up a landfill site is a common phenomenon and it is being taken up all over the country.
Nonetheless, Pyngrope observed that there is a feeling among the masses that garbage will be dumped within their vicinity which will be detrimental to both the environment and people’s livelihood. He went on to suggest a proper study on part of the government to explain to the people that landfills are not dangerous and not detrimental to the environment if garbage are treated as per the laid down norms.
Adding to this topic of debate, Mawlai MLA PT Sawkmie urged the state government to address the problem of dumping garbage for both Jowai (West Jaintia Hills) and Shillong, at the earliest.