Villagers stall public hearing for new landfill site at Nonghali
Shillong, Jan 10: The state government’s move to shift Marten landfill site on the outskirts of the city to Nonghali has suffered a setback as locals blocked a public hearing organised amid tight security by Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) on Thursday.
MSPCB and district officials were stopped on the way to the venue by agitating people from 15 villages in the area under Mawryngkneng constituency in East Khasi Hills district.
Urban Affairs department had decided to set up a new landfill at Nonghali following expiry of lifespan of the landfill site at Marten, Mawlai Mawiong.
The 18-acre site at Marten has been in use by Shillong Municipal Board since 1938.
The protesters held placards strongly expressing strong opposition against the government’s attempt to shift the lanffill to their area.
“This is a clear message to the government from the people of Nonghali and the surrounding villages that we will not allow it to bring Marten to our area,” said a leader of Synjuk Ki 15 Shnong Shilliang Par Umkhen, a conglomerate of the villages’ traditional bodies.
Demanding immediate revocation of the proposal, the he urged the government to find a suitable location, which will not affect health of the people and the water bodies.
Suspecting role of vested interests in the project, he said, “Despite availability of other locations for setting up of a landfill, the government is insisting on the land at Nonghali… to benefit somebody.”
After hearing the protesters, ADC and also presiding officer for the public hearing J Umdor said, “We have decided to call off the public hearing since we were stopped by protesters from proceeding to the venue.”
“We have noted down all the points and we requested all of them (protesters) to go back to their respective villages and resolve their issues so that we can conduct another public hearing,” she said.
ADC in-charge law and order P Passah said the present situation is not conducive for conducting the public hearing.
Explaining that the public hearing was only for getting views and opinions of the people he said the final decision is taken after hearing from those accused.
“The village concerned has sought time to resolve the matter before coming back to us with regard to the public hearing,” he said.
The MSPCB had followed all procedures such as issuing notice 30 days ahead of the public meeting, an MSPCB official S Syiem said.
