SHILLONG, Jan 15: Members of 15 Dorbar Shnongs of Nongthymmai Pyllun put their heads together with experts and volunteers on the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong campus in Umsawli on Wednesday to address the ‘Challenges and Opportunities of Waste Management’ in the Meghalaya capital.
The meeting was in pursuance of the mission to streamline garbage collection, its processing and the protection of rivers from turning into garbage dumps.
It involved the Dorbar Shnongs under the banner of Synjuk Ki Nongsynshar Shnong Nongthymmai Pyllun, the IIM Shillong’s North East Centre for Community Impact and Engagement (NE-CCIE) led by Prof Teidorlang Lyngdoh, the Meghalaya Institute of Governance (MIG), and the Operation Clean-Up (OCU).
The meeting provided a platform for in-depth discussions on the pressing issues surrounding waste management in Shillong, as well as the potential business opportunities it presents. Recognizing the gravity of the problem, the participants emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to find sustainable solutions.
At the start of the deliberations, IIM Director, Prof DP Goyal said the institute should be able to help Meghalaya and elsewhere in the Northeast to find solutions through investment in research and collaboration.
Stating that IIM Shillong’s doors are open to discuss the challenges of managing governance, he said: “Blaming the government or other authorities is the easiest thing to do but that does not lead to solutions. Things can only change when we take personal responsibility for things around us and start with ourselves. In the case of garbage, each of us has to be more responsible.”
Prof Goyal said behavioural change happens when each citizen is aware of their responsibility and starts taking action starting from their respective homes.
The following resolutions were adopted after a nearly two-hour-long deliberation:
Engaging Dorbar Shnongs: The meeting resolved to conduct further discussions with Dorbar Shnongs having first-hand experience in waste management. Learning from their grassroots initiatives is seen as a crucial step toward formulating effective strategies. IIM Shillong as an integral partner would help in finding ways to create economic opportunities for the local youth and the communities from waste recycling and processing and to hand-hold them.
Raising awareness: A collective decision was made to enhance public awareness about the challenges and opportunities of waste management. This includes outreach programmes to educate communities and stakeholders.
Documenting best practices: The meeting also highlighted the importance of documenting successful waste management practices undertaken by various Dorbar Shnongs. These best practices will serve as valuable resources for scaling and replicating effective models across other regions.
The delegation representing 15 Dorbar Shnongs was led by Bantylli Nari; the OCU group was led by the Editor of The Shillong Times, Patricia Mukhim; the MIG was led by its Director Aiban Swer while Prof Goyal, Associate Prof Teidorlang Lyngdoh, and visiting Associate Professor Rajeev Basaiawmoit represented the IIM Shillong.
The collaborative spirit demonstrated in the meeting underscored the shared commitment to addressing Shillong’s waste management challenges while leveraging opportunities for sustainable development and employment generation. Further engagements and initiatives are expected to follow as a result of this productive dialogue.
It was also at the meeting that sustainable wire meshes should be placed along the rivers at the points where one locality ends and another begins. This would make each Shnong responsible for the garbage generated within their jurisdictions. The respective Shnong would then arrange to collect the garbage behind the mesh.
The meeting was also of the opinion that the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council as the custodian of rivers should become an active partner in this process.
