SHILLONG, JULY 20: The state government has set up a task force to come up with long-term measures to address the garbage issue of Jowai, the district headquarters of West Jaintia Hills.

This was informed before the Meghalaya High Court during a hearing on the PIL filed by the Synjuk Ki Waheh Chnong Jowai – a body of headmen from Jowai – on Wednesday.

In the order, the two-member bench said that it was evident that short-term measures have been taken for the removal of garbage from Jowai town and the problem that the inhabitants of Jowai faced a few months back may no longer be the present situation.

However, it was submitted on behalf of the petitioner that till such time a long-term solution is brought about, the present petition should not be disposed of.

The order said on its part, the State submitted that long-term measures have been proposed and a task-force has been set up with specific terms of reference.

The Jowai Municipal Board said that sufficient progress has been made in arriving at a long-term solution.

The court has directed to list the matter after six weeks in the hope that some concrete long-term solution would have been arrived at by then.