Shillong, March 1: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently directed the Meghalaya government, through the Chief Secretary, to file a response regarding the dumping of construction and demolition (C&D) waste generated during the construction of the Jowai Bypass. Other concerned authorities, including the district magistrate of Jowai and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), were also instructed to submit their responses.
The applicant, environmental activist Khroo L. Pariat and others had raised concerns about the dumping of muck generated during road construction, which has damaged the river ecology, affecting aquatic life, flora, and fauna.
The Jowai Bypass Road project, spanning 5.9 km and linking NH-40E and NH-44, was initially awarded to M/s Kampung Kamyer Company in March 2022 but was later reassigned to M/s Dhar Construction Company in January 2023. The project’s completion deadline has been pushed to March 2025.
A Joint Committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has identified multiple environmental violations in the ongoing construction of the Jowai Bypass Road, raising concerns over its impact on the Myntdu River and the surrounding ecology.
Myntdu River originates at Mihmyntdu village near Jowai and is a major river in the Jaintia region encircling Jowai town and culminates in Bangladesh. It serves as a primary water source for the residents of Jowai and also provides irrigation facilities. It also has economic, religious and cultural importance.
The inspection was conducted following a letter petition filed by environmental activist Khroo L. Pariat and others, alleging that indiscriminate construction activities by the Meghalaya Public Works Department (PWD) had led to significant ecological damage. The tribunal took suo motu cognizance of the matter and ordered a field assessment.
The Joint Committee—comprising representatives from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB), and the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)—submitted a detailed report after inspecting five project sites along the Myntdu River.
The committee found that construction debris, including soil and stones, was being dumped indiscriminately into valleys and near river catchment areas. This was observed at multiple locations, including the confluence of the Mynkrem and Myntdu Rivers at Urkhla. The site was not barricaded, which may cause the sliding of muck/ debris at the catchment area of the river, including the agricultural fields surrounding the river and the risk of debris being washed away during the monsoon season due to the natural slope, potentially affecting the paddy fields.
While water quality tests indicated compliance with primary bathing water standards, the committee noted that debris dumping was causing siltation, which could have long-term consequences for river health.
The team found no significant dust mitigation efforts, such as barricades or tarpaulin sheets, at the construction site, leading to increased air pollution.
The report highlighted the rampant dumping of municipal solid waste in valleys near the Jowai-Dawki road, pointing to inadequate waste management infrastructure.
Based on its findings, the committee has recommended urgent corrective actions, including establishing designated dump sites for construction and demolition waste in line with the C&D Waste Management Rules, 2016, strengthening dust control measures at construction sites, conducting awareness campaigns on proper waste disposal and ensuring timely project completion by March 2025 while adhering to environmental regulations.
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