By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 25: The state government has reconstituted the River Rejuvenation Committee to prepare and implement an action plan for the restoration of identified polluted river stretches. The move was made in pursuance of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order and in partial modification of an earlier notification.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Working Plan, Chairman – Research & Technology, and District Council Affairs) will serve as the committee’s chairman. Other members include the Director of Urban Affairs, the Director of Commerce & Industries, the Member Secretary of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, the Chief Engineer of the Water Resources Department, and other officials.
The committee’s terms of reference include preparing an action plan to ensure that all polluted river stretches are restored to at least bathing-quality standards and monitoring the execution of the plan.
The action plan will encompass various components, such as identifying pollution sources, assessing the status and functionality of sewage treatment plants (STPs), effluent treatment plants (ETPs), and common effluent treatment plants (CETPs), as well as evaluating solid waste management and processing facilities. Additionally, it will include the quantification and characterization of solid waste, trade waste, and sewage generated in the catchment areas of polluted river stretches.
Another key component of the committee’s mandate is the establishment of biodiversity parks on floodplains by removing encroachments, which will be considered an essential aspect of river rejuvenation.
