Could reclamation of Mynkjai Landfill after temporary use resolve present garbage imbrolgio

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 9, 2021

The people of Jowai Town are suffering and complaining of the filthy odours emanating from the heaps of garbage lying in various parts of the Town and their residences as there was no collection of garbage by the Jowai Municipal Board for several days the Board is without a land for unloading the collected garbage.

The problem arise after the people of seven villages stopped the unloading the garbage by JMB at Mynkjai under Myput Village under Amlarem Assembly Constituency last year. The JMB failed to honour its words for constructing a retaining wall for preventing any spillage of the garbage to the road and nearby villages and did not also construct an approach road toward the Mynkjai land fill for unloading garbage.

Instead of resolving the two issues raised by the local peoples, the District Administration West Jaintia Hills and the JMB stopped the use of Mynkjai land fill on ground of law and order problems.

The JMB resorted to temporary measures of unloading garbage till Marten Mawlai Mawiong which had to be stopped due to opposition from local youths organization from Mawlai. The JMB in desperate measures even sent their garbage trucks for unloading the garbage in abandoned coal mine in East Jaintia Hills District but there too the local people opposed and sent the JMB employees  home red faced and even made them retrieved the already dumped garbage.

The DC West Jaintia Hills District held meeting with stakeholders and also attended by Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on 2nd August this year to resolved the issue. The meeting decided to use the Mynkjai Landfill for temporary period until permanent solution is settled.

If the said  meeting already decided to go ahead with the use of Mynkjai Landfill then why is the people of the seven villages still opposing the dumping of garbage in the meeting held on 6th August this year. This only indicated that the meeting held on 2nd August this year did not offer any solution which was acceptable to the people of seven villages.

The decision to continue use of Mynkjai Landfill on temporary basis was to be with the use of forces against the people of the seven villages.The prohibitory order under Section 144 Cr PC issued by the SDO (Civil) Amlarem  on Sunday only reflecting the lack of direction on the part of the Meghalaya Govt and bulldozing any opposition or objection of the people even if it is rational and logical with the use of forces.

Political observers questioned did the Urban Affair Minister offered to the seven villages  to dug up large holes for burying the already dumped garbage lying in Mynkjai Landfill and then disinfect them with chemicals and covered with soils. Did the Urban Affairs Minister offer for reclamation of the lands in Mynkjai Landfill after the temporary use of the lands and perhap even convert the place to tourist spot or market.

The people of seven villages for now are having regular visitors called houseflies originating from the dumped garbage in Mynkjai to their residences and their health are at risk.