Workshop to identify problem of waste management in Iawmusiang

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 18, 2019

JOWAI: The Clean Green Jowai Campaign today organised a one day workshop to identify the causes which contribute to making Ïawmusiang a market which is littered with dirt and also to suggest solutions or remedies to deal with the issue. It may be mentioned that part from the market managed by the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council; the premier market of Jaiñtia hills comprises of three others private markets which are managed by different institutions. Apart from these markets the area is also under the realm of the Dorbar Chnong of Tympang Ïawmusiang and there is also the Jowai Municipal Board and MUDA which look after the welfare of the town.

The fact of the matter is that many efforts to clean Ïawmusiang were made in the past by the District Administration in collaboration with the Dorbar Chnong Tympang Ïawmusiang and other stakeholders every 2^nd of October and with the Seiñ Raid, Jowai prior to every Behdieñkhlam, but unfortunately the endeavour cannot be sustained because of various reasons. It was on this basis that the Workshop with all the stakeholders which include the District Administration, the Jowai Municipal Board, the management of different market which include Sein Raid Jowai, Presbyterian Church Jowai, Church of North India Jowai, the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council, the Police Department, and the Traders Associations was organised on the October 18, at the Thomas Jones college Hall, Ïawmusiang, Jowai.

The workshop is to first find out the causes which prevent the different stakeholders from keeping Ïawmusiang clean and in the second session to suggest remedial measure or way and means to overcome the problems identified. The idea is to learn where we have gone wrong in the past and suggests ways to overcome these drawbacks and come up with an action plan or a road map to maintain the cleanliness of Ïawmusiang in the future.

The representatives of the stake holders were divided into group and the discussion on the first session was able to identify twelve causes or reasons which contribute in making Ïawmusiang as it is now. Shortage of waste collection points in the area, lack of civic sense amongst the people, absent of vending zones for hawker and street vendors, lack of civic sense amongst the shop keepers, vehicles and taxi drivers, lack of cooperation between the Jowai Municipal Board and the Public, Ïawmusiang is becoming a dumping place for the entire town, irresponsible or lack of responsibility by the Management of the Markets in maintaining cleanliness of the market, irresponsible disposing garbage after the truck has left the collection point, build up of garbage on Saturday evening, street dog menace, absent of proper mechanism with regard to liquid waste, non collection of waste on Sunday.

In the second session the groups come up with fifteen solutions or remedial measure to overcome the problems and the measures suggested are as follows. Create Awareness by way of organising awareness campaign, distributing pamphlet and other ICE tools, punishment for littering, ensure that stake holders /the different market management are responsible for the waste produced from their markets, to punish buyers from street vendors, to improve waste collection by ensure segregation at source and collection of bio and non-biodegradable waste on different days of the week, installation of CCTV at strategic locations, increasing the numbers of waste dumping places by insisting that stakeholders create space for the same in their respective areas, increase  strength of JMB staff and machineries, shifting of street vendors to the under construction JHADC market, restaurants and hotels to install Effluent treatment plants and proper drainages, implementation of the Waste rule 2016, to increase timing for collection of waste, to seek cooperation from all localities and traders associations, to introduce the idea of having volunteers like street angles, to organise regular cleaning drive, beautification of shops and business establishments.  It may be mentioned that the initiative was started as part of the platinum jubilee celebration of The Shillong Times which is currently working on ‘a Cleanup Shillong Campaign’ which will also culminate at the end of the jubilee celebration. Taking leave from this, some residents of Jowai town met in the presence of Manas Choudhury and Patricia Mukhim of the Shillong Times and decided to launch a similar campaign in Jowai.

It was decided to call the campaign a ‘Clean Green Jowai Campaign’ and the campaign has only two goals, one to make Ïawmusiang the main market area of Jowai clean and to ensure that river Myntdu is clean. The workshop is the first endeavour towards ensuring that cleanliness of Ïawmusiang is sustained and the next step is to come up with an action plan to achieve the goal.

A short meeting was held before the start of the workshop which was chaired by R. Manar Additional Deputy Commissioner WJH District and an introductory speech was presented by MS Lhuid IAS retired and a vote of thanks was proposed by SK Lato President of the Clean Green Jowai campaign. H.H.Mohrmen the group discussion.