Meghalaya clears plan for Greater Shillong waste management agency

The Meghalaya Cabinet has approved the creation of a dedicated body to streamline waste management across the expanding urban region of Shillong, amid concerns over fragmented systems and uneven service delivery.

The proposed Greater Shillong Waste Management Agency will be registered as a society and is expected to coordinate waste collection and disposal across multiple jurisdictions that currently operate independently.

Officials said the move is aimed at addressing “gaps in coordination and inefficiencies” that have affected the overall effectiveness of waste management in the city.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the decision comes in response to the pressures of rapid urbanisation and population growth. “With Shillong witnessing rapid growth and increasing urbanisation, waste collection and management are currently being handled by multiple agencies across different jurisdictions,” he noted, adding that this fragmentation has impacted efficiency.

The agency will cover the Greater Shillong Planning Area, which spans around 288.5 square kilometres. The government said consultations were held with localities within this region before finalising the proposal, reflecting what it described as a “clear and growing need to enhance the efficiency of garbage collection and waste management”.

Authorities clarified that the agency’s services will not be compulsory. Localities will retain the option to decide whether to use the centralised system or continue with existing arrangements.

The initiative is part of broader efforts by the state government to improve urban infrastructure and service delivery in Shillong, which has seen steady expansion in recent years.