In view of the rising number of Covid related deaths due to the onset of the winter season, the Meghalaya government has banned burning of garbage in West Garo Hills District.
The district magistrate of West Garo Hills has prohibited the burning of garbage including dry leaves under section 144 Cr PC and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and Solid Management Rules, 2016 as it can further cause the severity of the respiratory disease.
The Tura Municipal Board (TMB) has been directed to collect the garbage within Municipal areas and to ensure that garbage shall not be burnt in any manner by the staff of municipal board or the public, said an order issued by district magistrate Ram Singh.
All local bodies and development committees have also been directed to ensure that open burning of garbage or dry leaves do not take place.
This order applies to the entire district of West Garo Hills and comes into immediate effect.
“Any person violating the prohibition order will be liable to be as per Section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, besides legal action under Section 188 of the IPC and other legal provisions,” the order added.