waste management

The Meghalaya government has decided to adopt a unique waste management plan being implemented by the Alappuzha municipal board in Kerela.

Alappuzha has the distinction and recognition for its successful and sustainable management of solid waste under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as one of the best across the world.

The Centre for Science and Environment had rated Alappuzha in 2016 as the top cleanest town in India followed by Mysuru and Panaji.

As per of the ambitious project, Alappuzha municipal board established 5000 kitchen bins, 3000 biogas plants, 2800 pipe composting units and 218 aerobic compositing units in the municipal areas by way of which the town was able to take care of 80 percent of its waste produced by a population of 1.74 lakh.

A delegation led by Meghalaya urban affairs minister, Hamletson Dohling, PHE minister Samlin Malgniang and government chief whip, Agatha K. Sangma visited Alappuzha town in Kerala this week to understand the unique waste management model being implemented there.

During the visit, the minister and officials from Meghalaya held consultation and discussion with officials of the Alappuzha municipal board and visited different sites of the project to get first-hand knowledge and experience.

“We discussed the Alappuzha model how to implement waste management in municipal areas. On a pilot basis, the project would be started in Shillong and Tura soon,” Dohling said. The delegation informed that Meghalaya would focus on waste segregation in all municipal areas.

“In 2022, Meghalaya will host the National Games, and it will be our target to ensure that we are able to manage our waste and make Meghalaya waste-free as early as possible. We will work on target and deadline to achieve our objective,” Dohling said.

Narrating the experience gained from Alappuzha, Agatha said that Alappuzha has a decentralized plan that enabled every household to go green and treat domestic biodegradable waste in their own backyards.