By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 29: The Marten dumping ground is now overflowing, making it difficult for the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) to handle the waste.
The SMB is limited to processing the waste; unlike past years, it cannot just dispose of the waste.
Nevertheless, because the garbage has not been completely separated from its source, the board is having trouble processing the waste.
The Marten Waste Disposal Site Monitoring Committee (MWDSMC), which is made up of a number of stakeholders, including Seng Samla Mawlai Pyllun (SSMP), local MDC Teibor Pathaw, local MLA Brightstarwell Marbaniang, and a representative from the SMB Mawlai Town Dorbar (MTD), inspected the Marten dumping ground on Saturday.
The life of the Marten dumping is nearly up, according to SMB Executive Engineer FB Chyne, who was speaking with media.
“If we are able to process the garbage that is being dumped at the site, we will be able to continue for a few more years. However, this isn’t occurring since a lot of communities haven’t been able to start separating waste at the source yet,” according to Chyne.
Even if the order to separate from the source was in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, he claims that the situation still appears quite dire.
According to him, waste segregation bins have been provided to the different regions through ADB assistance.
“Unfortunately, the majority of communities have not been able to compel their citizens to separate waste from its source by any means,” Chyne remarked.
According to the SMB Executive Engineer, if people don’t follow the advice to separate waste from the source, the board’s last option will be to fine the offenders in accordance with the rules.
He also praised Mawlai Nongmali for being one of the few communities to have achieved almost 95% garbage segregation.
According to Chyne, “we have achieved about 75% segregation of waste in the municipal areas so far.”
Additionally, he disclosed that a month-long training programme on trash segregation in commercial locations was recently held.
He claims that they have seen some encouraging results from this training.
Chyne, in the meantime, reported that the compost factory had begun to treat the waste.
“We sent the first batch of samples to be tested to see if they could be used as organic manure after processing. However, the study indicates that there are certain problems that need to be fixed. A second set of samples has been sent for analysis. We are awaiting the report,” he said.
He thinks it would be fantastic if they could turn the garbage into organic manure.
He added that since the government is handling the identification of the new waste site, he will be unable to comment in the interim.
Samuel Biam, the president of the SSMP, announced that the life of Marten dumping ground, which occupies around 18 acres, is over after 85 years of service.
“The Marten dumping area is already full, therefore I would ask the public to help the government find a new disposal location,” Biam continued.