‘A Melodrama of Garbage and Governance’

O R ShallamApril 22, 2022

While it is such a big relieve for the Iawmusiang market whereby the Jowai Municipal Board (JMB)  along with the District Administration has finally clean and loaded the huge heaps of garbage accumulated at Iawmusiang market right before the Youth Cultural festival – Ka Chad Sukra of the Seinraij Jowai on the 24^th April, 2022. Kudos to the efforts of the administration along with the JMB to clear the garbage that has seen to be accumulating for the past few months. The pungent and suffocating smell that leads to health hazards for the shop vendors, the passerby and the commuters on the area has finally been temporarily diagnosed even if it’s late which is better than never.

But as a concerned citizen I ponder on the thought that while the garbage from Iawmusiang has been taken care of. What about the garbage from other parts of the town’s suburbs and residents household? To be honest, No one can deny the fact that every residents household are packed with pile of garbage as the JMB has not collected the same from every locality in Jowai since long way back. What is the District administration and the JMB has in place for such garbage?

Bafflingly, the Administration and the JMB has signed the MoU with one resident of Moolamylliang village for temporary garbage dumping in his exhausted coal pit. As soon as I am aware of the development from the news and media, I am pleased to know that Jowai is finally saved for the time being from the garbage crisis. However, day after that another news item was reported of the strong opposition from the Hima Sutnga Youth Federation (HSYF) Joint VDP Elaka Sutnga along with the Office of the Acting Dolloi Elaka Sutnga. Now what’s really confusing is: In such case scenario, Does the District Administration and the JMB requires such clearances from concern Elaka as well for signing off the MoU? If Yes, How can the District Administration and the JMB signed the MoU if such necessary clearances are not even obtained from the concerned Elaka? And if no, what steps are to be taken by the authority to dump the garbage when oppositions are taking place? What is really the answer to the garbage of Jowai?    

Now the residents of Jowai town are left with the uncertainty with regards to garbage in the long run. What’s the Government plan for Jowai town? Are we heading to the worst garbage crisis in the history of Meghalaya? If Jowai garbage is the shame of the Jaintia, So what is the foremost duty of all the MLA’s from Jaintia now? The MDA government has failed us and so is the local MLA. Who will come to the rescue of Jowai from its garbage now?