Our Spl Correspondent
NEW DELHI: In a major decision which will save Shillong from its acute garbage problem, the Centre has allowed the troubled State Urban Affairs department for diversion of forest land for sanitary system of disposal of garbage which has not only become a major problem but also an embarrassment for the State Government.
Talking to The Shillong Times, the Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest has given in principle approval for diversion of land for the scientific system of disposing city’s mounting garbage in the forest land.
Of course, the State Government would go for compensatory aforestation over double the area in nearly 15 hecates of land besides fulfilling other conditions, she said.
The permission was given under Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 for diversion of land within Riat Khwan Reserve Forest for construction of the sanitary system for disposal of the garbage from the city.
Unfortunately, now the garbage collected from the city is disposed into the gorges of the trenching ground situated at Mawlai on Shillong-Guwahati Road.
This system is highly unhygienic and detrimental to the eco-system there.