The Urban Affairs Department has yet to come up with a detailed project report (DPR) for land acquisition to set up a new waste disposal project in Ri-Bhoi.
This matter was raised by Umroi MLA George Lyngdoh during question hour in the Assembly today. Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar replied that the government is planning to set up a dump in Kyrdem village, Ri-Bhoi, over 200 acres.
A public hearing on the plan was held in January where details of the proposed project were shared with the public, he added.
Lyngdoh countered this, saying that the details were not at all clear. The opposition legislator said that the document shared with the Kyrdem villagers was for a ‘sanitary’ landfill. He also wondered how the government is on the hunt for land when it does not have a DPR.
Dhar responded that a final DPR can be prepared after the area has been finalised, especially when they have the consent of the people.
According to Lyngdoh, Kyrdem village is unsuitable as the proposed area contains many springs and other water sources that feed adjoining villages.
“Now that we know that the DPR is yet to be prepared, land hasn’t been surveyed properly, people are in chaos. People are up in arms and they are against the project because the department is not sure what they are trying to set up. May we know the mind of the department with the opposition faced – will they go ahead with the project or will they stop?” asked Lyngdoh.
The Urban Affairs Minister acknowledged that his department did face opposition but he assured the house that the government places the utmost importance on protecting the people and will not go against their wishes. The proposed site will follow the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, Dhar added.
Meanwhile, Lyngdoh’s party colleague Charles Pyngrope said that the acquisition of land for garbage dumps is a common practice all over India.
Batting for landfills, when done properly, Pyngrope called for greater awareness efforts to be made by the government when trying to convince the public, such as those in Kyrdem.
“Somehow the people commonly feel that garbage is going to be dumped in their vicinity, thereby creating a situation where all the villages surrounding that landfill will face detriment to their livelihoods,” said Pyngrope.
Currently, the Marten landfill in Mawlai is the only one servicing the whole of Shillong and there are fears as to what the state capital will do when it reaches capacity. Mawlai residents have also previously raised furious protests over the condition of the dumping ground. To Mawlai MLA Process Sawkmie’s request for the speeding up of a replacement site, Dhar assured him that the Urban Affairs Department is trying to settle one as soon as possible.
