SHILLONG, Sep 15: The Shillong Landfill Facility (SLF) established under NERCCDIP in two phases has seen a shorter-than-anticipated operational lifespan due to a lack of waste processing efficiency.
Phase I of the facility has been fully utilised and Phase II is filling rapidly, prompting the need for increased waste processing efficiency to extend its use beyond the estimated eight years.
According to the CAG report for March 2022 on Solid Waste Management in Urban Areas of Meghalaya, Phase I of the SLF was completed in May 2017 while Phase II was completed in February 2021. The detailed project report said the proposed design life of the landfill was 15 years, i.e., up to 2029.
This SLF was being used by the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) and the Dorbar Shnongs under the census towns.
Satellite imagery showed Phase I was fully utilised and was covered with vegetation. A major portion of the Phase II SLF was also filled with waste.
During the joint physical verification with the audit team, SMB officials confirmed that the space (Phase II) would last for three more years up to 2025.
Considering that the dumping of waste in Phase I started during October-November 2017 and would last up to 2025, it indicates that the SLF can now be used for eight years only, instead of the design life of 15 years.
During the Exit Conference (May 2023), the department agreed to the audit findings. The Director of the Urban Affairs Department stated that the request for a proposal was floated to process the legacy waste in Marten which will free up more space.
The CAG advised the state government to urgently acquire suitable land for establishing modern sanitary waste management facilities and sanitary landfills to mitigate the risk of public health disasters and soil and water pollution. Responsibility needs to be fixed for under-utilisation of the compost plant in Shillong, it said.
Unadjusted contingent bills
Meanwhile, the CAG report has revealed that as of March 31, 2023, a staggering Rs 98.25 crore in Detailed Countersigned Contingent (DCC) bills remain outstanding in Meghalaya.
The Election and Police departments are identified as the major defaulters, accounting for 98.72% of the total unadjusted advances.
According to the CAG, of the 53 unsubmitted DCC bills, Rs 75.50 crore is attributed to the Election department, while Rs 21.49 crore is linked to the Police department. These unadjusted Abstract Contingent (AC) bills have raised concerns about the accuracy of the state’s financial accounts, as the expenditure reflected may not be final or correct due to the non-submission of these bills.
The report also highlighted that during the fiscal year 2022-23, a total of 85 AC bills amounting to Rs 113.11 crore were drawn, with 61 bills worth Rs 82.80 crore (73.20 per cent) drawn in March 2023 alone.
The CAG warned that the prolonged non-adjustment of advances poses a risk of misappropriation, urging the state government to implement stringent monitoring mechanisms. It recommended the government devise an effective system to ensure that Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) submit DCC bills to the Principal Accountant General within the prescribed timelines.
