Meghalaya: JNV school in trouble for ‘polluting’ river that feeds GSWSS

SHILLONG | June 26, 2019:

A day after visiting the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) school at Mawphlang, the Assembly Committee on Environment (CoE) today decided to close down the school over the non-functioning of the sewage treatment plant.

The committee during their visit found out that sewage from the school was flowing into the river that feeds the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme.

"The students should be given holiday till the sewage treatment plant is made functional," CoE chairman, Syntar Klass Sunn, who is also the local MLA of Mawphlang told reporters here today.

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It may be mentioned that the school is presently on a vocation. Meanwhile, the CoE also informed that the committee also recommended cleaning of rivers to the Water Resources department.

The member of the committee, Himalaya Shangpliang stated that the important rives in the State are highly polluted which include Wah Umkhrah, Umshyrpi and Lukha river in Jaintia Hills.

"The department has been directed to come up with a concept plan as to how they want to go about cleaning the rivers," he said.

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Talking about the siltation of Umiam Lake, Shangpliang also said that the department will have to come out with a concept plan as to how they want to go about cleaning these water bodies.  He informed that the committee reviewed the functioning of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board even as he stated that the state pollution control board has not been able to look into the smoke emission.

"We took a very strong view on the failure of the transport department and the MSPCB in containing the smoke emission, which leads to air pollution and gave them 15 days to come up with a report how many cases have been penalised, how many cases have been taken up and how many stations are there to ensure that these vehicles do not emit such black smoke while travelling," Shangpliang said.

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Meanwhile, the CoE also informed that the Mining and Geology department told that since 2015-2019 Rs 430 crore has been collected from transportation of coal which will go toward environmental restoration in the coal mining areas.

The CoE was informed that out of the amount they are making, the restoration work in the affected mining areas will be taken up with due approval of the National Green Tribunal.