HC directs state authorities & JHADC to remove garbage, clean Jowai town

SHILLONG, April 20: The Division Bench of the High Court of Meghalaya on Wednesday directed the state administration and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) to meet at the highest level to try and suggest an immediate remedy to make Jowai garbage-free to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases since it has been raining continuously for the past several days.
The Court, while hearing a matter pertaining to the piling up of garbage in Jowai, came down heavily on the state government while observing that “the State of Meghalaya, as in most other cases, washes its hands off and says that it had no role to play in civic affairs. It is somewhat disturbing that there is a serious menace of garbage piling up in one of the major towns in the State, something that may lead to disease and disaster, and the state administration seeks only to play the fiddle.”
The Jowai Municipal Board (JMB) filed an application indicating that in March, 2021, the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) of Moopyut village along with six other villages – Pynthor Langtein, Umsalang, Shhen Pyrsit, Moopyut Madan Tyrpait, Moosakhia and Sohmynting had attempted to close the dumping site at Mynkjai.
Though an agreement was entered into for temporary dumping at the site for three months, since no alternative dumping site was identified by the task force constituted by the Urban Affairs department along with the JMB, the collection of garbage has altogether come to a standstill.
The KSU of Moopyut village along with the headmen of Moopyut and the six other villages were also added as parties in the case.
In a related development, assistant Waheh Chnong (headman) of Moolamylliang village, Damewanhi Rymbai signed an agreement with the JMB to temporarily dump garbage in abandoned coal mines owned by him at Pynsymroo village under Saipung C&RD Block in East Jaintia Hills district.
The agreement, signed between the coal mine owner and the JMB in the presence of Deputy Commissioner Garod LSN Dykes, was objected to by the Joint Village Defence Party of Elaka Sutnga.