By Pyntngen D Nongrum
At the invitation of the Deputy Commissioner East Khasi Hills, as the Rangbah Shnong of Jaiaw Shyiap Lumpyllon, I attended the meeting held on December 19, 2023 to discuss the ‘Rejuvenation & Restoration of the Wah- Umkhrah, Umkhen, Umshyrpi. The session was interesting and lasted for almost 2 hours. At the end of the meet high tea was served and everyone had an opportunity to talk shop and also to present their locality’s problems to the officers from the different Government departments. I had my chance to talk to one of the Additional DCs. I told him that perhaps the problems which were highlighted that day could be the same problems which the present Chief Secretary, who was chairing the meeting, must have discussed with the Rangbah Shnongs a couple of decades back. On a lighter note I told the Addl. DC that unless we take bold decisions these problems will persist till the time he takes over as Chief Secretary. We had a good laugh.
Let me run the readers through what was discussed and deliberated at this meeting. It started with the Power Point presentation by officers from the DC’s office highlighting recent inspection of localities and supported by visual images of the filth all along the rivers, the direct discharge of human and animal excreta into the drains of the localities and other nauseating images. Powerpoint presentations by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board were of the same nature and so were those of the Shillong Municipal Board. I must confess that, after having attended so many meetings to discuss cleaning Shillong City, Saving Wah-UmKhrah, this kind of presentation bored me. I am skeptical that once the power is switched off the points are lost in the labyrinth of the Departments.
We all live the reality of a filthy dirty city and stinking rivers every day. From the presentation by the S.M.B I learnt something new. It was for the first time I learnt that the S.M.B collects Bio Medical waste only from Medical institutions located within the Shillong Municipality limits. For those falling outside, there is another agency doing this job. At the end of the presentation and after seeing the present state of the city, the suburbs, the rivers, the violation of prevailing environmental laws by the citizens we are no better off than what we were a couple of decades ago. The Chief Secretary who was chairing the meet summed up the whole presentation with just one question, “ WHERE DID WE GO WRONG?”
Once the presentations were over there was an interactive discussion. The Rangbah Shnongs presented their viewpoints: some highlighted the problems in their localities and some came up with brilliant suggestions. I was given an opportunity to speak and I spoke on what has been bothering me for quite some times. I have often compared East Khasi Hills District to the State of Israel. For those living within the limits of the Municipal Wards we are akin to those living in the West Bank. We follow some form of civic rules and bye laws laid down by the District Administration and for those who are out of the Municipality limits they are akin to those living in the rest of Israel. They live by different standards laid down by the KHADC. At times there is overlapping of responsibility, as is the case with waste management and protection of rivers and water bodies. Both the authorities try to assert their rights to manage these affairs. The SMB collection and disposal of Bio Medical waste is a case in point. So I made a suggestion to the Chair that it is time for the State Government and the KHADC to meet, deliberate and sort out, if not on all issues, then just on the protection of rivers , water bodies and management of waste disposal and to constitute a strong Civic Administrative Body with clearly defined powers to operate not only within the municipal areas but in the scheduled areas too.
Some Rangbah Shnong raised issues about non-functional Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) constructed decades ago under the JNNURM scheme. Some (STPs) which were constructed a year back all along the Wah-Umkhrah are yet to be made operational. Defective solar powered street lights recently installed are now abandoned by the contractors who have been paid their bills. Joint inspection between SMB officials and the local Dorbars are conducted from time to time but violators are not taken to task which leave the Dorbar disheartened. Members from Operation Clean Up complained on the rampant use of single-use plastic bags in spite of these being banned.
Perhaps the answer to the Chief Secretary’s question of, “where did we go wrong,” lies in these complaints which are left unaddressed. That is we are running a highly inefficient Civic Administrative Body. I am reminded of a comment made by Toki Blah when he said, “Ngi nang bha bad synshar shnong hynrei ngim pat nang ban synshar sor,” (We are efficient at administering localities but do not know how to manage a city.”) For far too long we have relied on the age-old traditional ways of the past in trying to solve present day urban and semi urban issues and we must admit we have failed. It is time for the State Government and the KHADC to work out new strategies to resolve the present crisis. Rangbah Shnongs have been asking for more teeth to help the authorities to combat the ever degradation of our cities, forest, rivers and water bodies. I would rather ask all Rangbah Shnongs, if we are ready to give the Government more teeth, support it in its attempt to strengthen the Civic Bodies.
My request to the Government is to send out officers to all the localities, within the administered and scheduled areas and conduct a survey to find out if the citizens are ready to support the Government in constituting a strong and an efficient Civic Body. Perhaps in the next meeting these survey reports can be placed before the house and the Rangbah Shnongs may be asked to vote if they are willing to support the formation of a Civic Administrative Body. On such a day we will know if the’ AYES’ have it.
(The writer is Rangbah Shnong, Jaiaw Shyiap Lumpyllon Shillong)