The Meghalaya High Court disposed of a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) instituted in 2017 to ensure cleanliness and hygienic conditions in and around Shillong.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W. Diengdoh held that there is no doubt that the city looks cleaner, though rubble and rubbish, particularly construction material, seem to be dumped in a haphazard manner. The State and the Shillong Municipal Board appear to have taken certain measures and the Cantonment Board has also been roped in for the purpose. Awareness drives have been undertaken.
“It is best that awareness campaigns, in attractive packages, are conducted in schools, particularly government schools and which children from the less privileged sections of the society attend”
-observed the Court.
Further, the Bench noted that in particular, water bodies in and around the city, including the river Umkhrah, the several waterfalls and places around the same need to be protected, kept clean and the use of plastics, bottles and tetra packs around such places regulated or prohibited.
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It is hoped by the Bench that the State and the Shillong Municipal Board work in tandem and ensure that all parts of Shillong look spic and span as the areas under the supervision of the Cantonment Board.
“This petition appears to have worked itself out. However, the appropriate authorities should not drop their guard since any spirited individual may initiate further proceedings if the cleanliness drive that was a result of the present proceedings is on the wane”
-the order reads.