SHILLONG/JOWAI, July 24: After months of dormancy, the waste management crisis of Jowai town has spilled to the streets with waste once again being dumped on the roadside in Iawmusiang.
It was noticed on Monday afternoon that plastic wastes were lying on the main road of Iawmusiang, Jowai, near SBI Bank Iawmusiang Jowai, unattended by the authorities concerned.
The resurgence of this problem raises questions on the efficacy of the measures taken by Jowai Municipal Board to mitigate the garbage crisis in the town.
Garbage continued to pile till 8 pm rendering the road congested as vehicles manoeuvred around the accumulate garbage and pedestrians found it increasingly difficult to walk.
Earlier in the day, the High Court of Meghalaya, while hearing a matter on the waste management crisis in Jowai, termed it heartening to note that the petitioner and state have indicated that things appear to be going smoothly, as of now.
“Perhaps, the additional measures taken during the Behdeinkhlam festival may have helped ease the garbage problem in Jowai,” the court said.
It stressed that the additional measures should not be withdrawn and both the municipality and the local administration should, in conjunction with the headmen, ensure the smooth functioning of the garbage disposal system, including the trucks which have been engaged as of now.
In the next hearing, the state government has been asked to report on the progress, particularly on the construction of the permanent waste disposal system in Jaintia Hills, which was due to be commissioned by the end of this year.
It may be mentioned that last year, Iawmusiang had turned into a dumping ground of sorts with garbage piling up on a daily basis in the town. After several cries for a solution to the vexed problem and the intervention of the stakeholders, the row eventually subsided as measures were put in place to improve the collection of garbage in the town.
