The abattoir at Mawïong was meant to ensure the supply of clean meat for the people of Shillong and further beyond but it is having unfortunate consequences for its neighbours, who blame the facility for pollution to the local river.
The Dorbar Shnongs of Mawïongrim and Mawïong Umjapung have threatened to move the National Green Tribunal (NGT) if the pollution of the River Umshing is not addressed.
Speaking to reporters today, the Rangbah Shnong of Mawïongrim, Sorbar Lyngdoh Nongpuir, said that a joint inspection conducted on August 10 by the two dorbars revealed that the pollution to the river is being caused by an unhygienic drainage system from the facility.
Residents of the two villages, which have a joint population of over 7,000, are highly dependent on the river. The other problem is that the area only has one water pumping machine.
“The residents here are buying water every now and then, which is a cause of concern, and the PHE (Public Health Engineering) Department keeps repairing a more than 30-year-old pumping machine with no spare parts and experts available. It runs for five days and is then non-functional for months,” Nongpuir said.
Expressing hope that the government will take this matter seriously and fix all the irregularities at the earliest, he said, “We would like to see that the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department close the slaughterhouse until it ensures that no unhygienic waste flows through it to the River Umshing. We also hope that the PHE will replace the old pump with a new one.”
According to findings from a Right to Information (RTI) request, the abattoir waste is meant to go into an effluent treatment plant (ETP) before entering a small reservoir. However, during periods of rainfall, water from adjoining areas also flows into the reservoir and overwhelms it, leading to waste entering the river.
