Assembly panel decides to reopen JNV school at Mawphlang

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 13, 2019

SHILLONG: The state Assembly’s Committee on Environment has decided to allow reopening of the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) at Mawphlang after the school authority has complied with the recommendations made by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB). 

It may be mentioned that the school was closed down for nearly one and a half month by the Assembly panel after it was found discharging untreated sewage water directly to the river, which was the main source of water supply for the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS). 

The committee had accordingly issued closure notice on June 26 with a direction that the school will only be reopened till such time that the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) is made functional. 

Annoucing its decision after a meeting held here on Tuesday, chairman of the Committee and legislator from Mawphlang SK Sunn said, “The Assembly committee has taken a decision to reopen the school with immediate effect to be followed by regular inspections.” 

Sunn said that the decision was taken based on the assurances given by the Principal Secretary of Education DP Wahlang and Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills District Matsiewdor W Nongbri who were present during the meeting. 

Asked, he said Wahlang informed the committee that he had made a personal inspection to the school yesterday and found that all the recommendations made by the MSPCB have been attended to except the part relating to the annual maintenance contract. 

“The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) had already sent the estimate for the annual maintenance contract to run the STP which is around Rs 17-18 lakh to their headquarters in Delhi for sanction. We have asked them to give us a timeline and they informed that the matter will take a month’s time,” Sunn said. 

He further informed that the deputy commissioner, who is also the chairperson of the school managing committee, has also assured to follow up the matter and to make two inspections to the school within a month. 

Asked, the chairman of the committee blamed the school authority for contaminating the environment and said, “Whom to blame? We blame the school who else? It is the school authority that is contaminating the environment and moreso the drinking water of the GSWSS project.” 

However denying that the decision of the Committee to close down the school for over 36 days was a punishment to the students, Sunn said, “We have not actually punish the students but by closing down the school ultimately it affects the students and parents but committee has no other alternative but to stop opening of the school till such time the STP is made functional because it is adversely affecting the drinking water sources which supply water to 4 lakh population in Shillong.”