A settlement has been reached between the synjuk ki waheh shnong Jowai and War Jaiñtia on the contentious garbage issue whereby Jowai has can now temporarily dispose its rubbish at Mynkjai village for three months.
The agreement was reached during a meeting held between the two parties at Amlarem wherein the waheh shnong of Jowai also decided to withdraw its quit notice against nine villages and the Khasi Students Union.
The meeting was also attended by the synjuk ki waheh shnong Ri Jaiñtia as well as some villagers of Mupyut, Moosakhia, Umsalang, Madantyrpait, Shkenpyrsit, Muphlang, Pynthor Langteiñ, Samanong and Mustem, who were against dumping at Mynkjai.
President of the synjuk in Jowai, Alan Niangti briefed reporters on the decisions taken at the meeting and said dumping of garbage in Mynkjai will be as per rules set by the National Green Tribunal.
Daniel Khongsit, president of the synjuk War Jaiñtia said that after three months villagers hope that the government would solve the issue and find a suitable dumping ground for the entire Jaiñtia hills region.
Waheh shnong of Mupyut, Chanki Kyndait stated an agreement was signed between the Jowai Municipal Board and the Jaiñtia Hills Autonomous District Council which the dorbar shnong was not informed. “This has infuriated the village coupled with haphazard dumping of garbage by the municipal board,” he added.
Earlier today a meeting was also held on the issue at Mupyut which was attended by the local MLA and cabinet minister, Lahkmen Rymbui and the Deputy Commissioner.
It may be mentioned that the Jowai Municipal Board has been unable to dispose Jowai’s garbage after residents of several villages opposed the further dumping of waste at Mynkjai. The board then attempted to find other options, like getting rid of the garbage in Marten (which serves Shillong) and even an abandoned coal mine in East Jaiñtia Hills, but all these ideas came to nought.
The stink surrounding the non-disposal of garbage in Jowai took another turn when the synjuk in Jowai hit out against the villages and pressure groups who opposed to the dumping of garbage from the town. Angry residents of Jowai also marched and protested yesterday and dumped garbage in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office over its failure to take steps to rid the town of the mountains of garbage.
