SHILLONG: In a major step towards improving urban sanitation, the Meghalaya Cabinet on Thursday approved the formation of the Greater Shillong Waste Management Agency, aimed at streamlining waste collection and disposal across the city.
The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, who said the new body will be registered as a ‘Society’ to professionalise waste management services in the rapidly expanding urban landscape of Shillong.
Addressing the media, the Chief Minister acknowledged that waste management in the city has long been hampered by fragmented governance, with multiple authorities—including the Cantonment Board, Municipal Board, and areas under the Sixth Schedule governed by Autonomous District Councils—operating independently.
“This lack of a unified structure has led to coordination gaps and inconsistent service delivery,” Sangma said, underlining the need for an integrated approach.
The newly approved Agency will oversee waste management operations across the Greater Shillong Planning Area, spanning approximately 288.5 square kilometres. The government conducted extensive consultations with nearly 100 local village authorities prior to the decision, with most expressing support for the initiative.
The state has also held discussions with the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council to clarify its role within the framework of the new Agency and address administrative concerns.
Importantly, Sangma stressed that the Agency will function on a voluntary basis for local traditional institutions and shnong authorities. “It is not mandatory. The decision to avail the services will rest entirely with individual localities,” he said, adding that the Agency is intended to complement—not override—the powers of existing local bodies and District Councils.
The Chief Minister further clarified that the Agency will operate as a service-oriented, demand-driven mechanism to ensure better efficiency and uniformity in waste management practices across Shillong.
In a separate decision, the Cabinet also approved a minor amendment to the Meghalaya Real Estate Regulation and Development (General) Rules, 2020. The revision pertains to the remuneration structure of the Chairman and members of the regulatory authority.
Under the amended rules, officials will now receive salaries based on their “last pay drawn” minus pension, replacing the earlier system of fixed honorariums. The move is aimed at aligning compensation with other government departments and standardising payment structures.
