Shillong, Nov 22: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong has rejected the Swachh Survekshan 2021 survey report which mentioned that Meghalaya performed badly in cleanliness.
The report placed the state at the lowest.
“I don’t believe in such rankings. If you say that cleanliness here in Meghalaya is at the bottom, I don’t believe it,” Tynsong told reporters.
He pointed out that those who conducted the survey may have concentrated only in Motphran and Iewduh and added that they did not cover the entire state be it urban or be it rural areas.”
He asked those who conducted the survey to visit the localities and villages in both urban and rural areas. Tynsong said, “Go to any village in the rural area. Even here in Shillong, you go to the locality be it Mawkhar, be it Mission Compound or be it Jaiaw, be it Pohkseh or Nongthymmai side, you go and enter the locality you will see the cleanliness.”
“Because these are the responsibilities of the Rangbah Shnong, the local management committee which we have and they don’t need pushing from the government side. In fact they are the ones who push for cleanliness,” he said.
The Swachh Survekshan 2021 survey report said Shillong has slipped its rank from 353rd last year to 371st this year in the category of cities with population of 1 to 10 lakh.
Shillong Cantonment Board has ranked 60th with 620.80 points among 62 other cantonment boards (cities) within the country.
In terms of district rankings, the survey put East Khasi Hills at 562nd rank; while South Garo Hills and West Garo Hills have been ranked 639th and 623rd respectively.
However, Meghalaya stood at 14th position in the list of states with less than 100 urban local bodies (ULBs).
