Jowai, June 28: Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma had made a promise to upgrade Jowai and Tura to smart towns with a sanction of over Rs 15 crores. However, the promise is yet to be translated into a reality.
Jowai town in particular is in a bad state– be it pathetic road condition, traffic congestion and lack of cleanliness due to unavailability of a site for urban waste disposal.
The issue of waste management in Jowai town has remained unresolvable even after a CEO of Jowai Municipality Board was appointed recently who happen to be one of the headmen of the town, LD Lakiang.
In fact, he was also a leader of the Synjuk ki Rangbah Shnong (Waheh Chnong) which had been organising protests before he was appointed the CEO.
Though the Jowai Municipal Board office headed by the CEO allocated an area for dumping of garbage however, the move was protested by people of Mookyrdup and Khliehrymphum localities.
Jowai town has been considered as the mirror of Jaintia Hills District and the image of the district lies in its beauty.
Forget not, cement plants including those of Topcem (MCL), Star Cement and Dalmia have financially supported the District Administration for beautification of the town which include the construction of railing along the footpath in Iawmusiang area.
Iawmusiang – the biggest market place of East and West Jaintia Hills, has no proper market place. All markets in the district are controlled and managed by the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) but all in papers only.
The super market which was proposed and half constructed a decade ago has remained l a dream as of now. Hawkers, vendors and shop owners are complaining about the slow progress of works which was always attributed to ” lack of funds” by the JHADC authority.
It is a Rs 20 crore market project which was later revised to more than Rs 35 crore one and the additional fund was to be mobilised from the Council’s own fund (COF).
“We hope that all project meant for development of implantation Jowai town will be implemented soon as normally projects takes place just before every Assembly election which now due in 2023”, said a senior citizen of the town.
Jowai town is expanding haphazardly due to the flow of people from all nook and corners of the district to settle in the town that hitherto lacks development and basic facilities.