The State government and Jowai Municipal Board have claimed that the garbage problem in Jowai has improved but the Synjuk Ki Waheh Shnong Jowai has contested the claim.
During the hearing of the public interest litigation (PIL) in the division bench of Meghalaya High Court today, both the State government and the Jowai Municipal Board said that things have improved and the State government has provided a temporary site for the immediate dumping of garbage.
The State government also informed the High Court that the market area at Iawmusiang has been cleared.
However, contesting the claim, the Synjuk Ki Waheh Shnong Jowai showed photographs of a prominent part of Jowai town with piled-up garbage. The photograph is said to be of May 10.
Another photograph of the same day shows garbage on the road, but the same is completely covered by plastic or tarpaulin sheets.
The third photograph shows several trucks lined up on a street beyond the town limits, presumably loaded with garbage but each of the trucks is covered by plastic or tarpaulin sheets.
The Jowai Municipal Board however stated that the garbage is no longer on the streets and several lots have been loaded on vehicles and are being taken in turn to the temporary dumping site. It also told the court that several of the vehicles carrying garbage are parked beyond the city limits after being completely covered to ensure that there is no spillage or the rain-water does not get into the garbage.
The Municipal Board says that the Health Department of the State has been roped in to ensure that there is no spread of disease from the collected garbage, whether those lying in the streets or those packed in the vehicles.
Further, the Municipal Board also told the court that objections by headmen of the local villages near the permanent dumping site have prevented quicker removal of the garbage from Jowai town.
Both the State government and the Municipal Board said that steps have been taken to ensure removal of garbage to the temporary site while waiting for the objections to be resolved for a long-term solution.
After hearing all the parties, the High Court said that there has to be cooperation all round to ensure a reasonable solution to the garbage problem in Jowai.
“It will not do for the garbage to remain piled up in the streets for an indefinite period. Further, the lifting of the garbage into the trucks and the trucks being parked beyond the city limits can only be a measure taken for a day or two and cannot be continued indefinitely,” the court said.
It also urged the concerned headmen of the villages to sit down with the representatives of the State government and Jowai Municipal Board to ensure that a quick and equitable solution is found.
“The State and the Municipal Board should also keep the interests of the villagers in mind while choosing and securing the permanent site or sites. If necessary, the temporary and proposed permanent sites have to be sealed so as to insulate the villages from any spillage from the dumped garbage or seepage of rain-water contaminated by the dumped garbage,” the High Court said.
The court also expressed hope that the situation will improve with the intervention of the highest authorities in the State as it is a major problem in the area and may lead to health hazards, if not a catastrophe.
The High Court decided to hear the matter after a week in order to monitor the progress that has taken place. The next hearing on the matter will be held on May 20.
