Shillong, Oct 31: The Department of Urban Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, on Friday organized a consultative meeting with Rangbah Shnongs and locality leaders under the Greater Shillong Planning Area at the State Convention Centre, Shillong.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, Chief Secretary Shakil Ahammed, and Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Kumar D attended the meeting along with officials from the Urban Affairs Department, Shillong Municipal Board (SMB), and Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
During the meeting, the government launched Mission Clean Shillong 2027, a comprehensive programme aimed at making Shillong one of the cleanest and most sustainable cities in the Northeast. The mission seeks to improve waste management, promote community participation, create litter-free localities, achieve 100 percent waste processing, and remove legacy waste from the Marten landfill. It will also introduce technology-based monitoring systems and encourage citizen-led cleaning initiatives.
In his address, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma highlighted the importance of collaboration between the government and traditional institutions to address Shillong’s urban challenges. “The purpose of these meetings is not just to point out what is not working, but to ask what we can do together to make things better. When the community, the government, the officials and the political leadership come together, there is nothing we cannot achieve,” he said.
He added that regular engagement with locality leaders reflects the government’s commitment to strengthen cooperation and community-driven initiatives. The Chief Minister also outlined key focus areas such as CCTV installation, street lighting, drainage improvement, and beautification of the city. He further announced that discussions would soon be held on river cleaning and drug abuse prevention to ensure measurable outcomes.
Officials from the Urban Affairs Department presented progress reports on the Clean Shillong Mission launched in July 2025, noting a 50 percent increase in sanitation manpower and improvements in waste management efficiency. Nearly half of the 3.5 lakh metric tons of legacy waste at the Marten landfill has been remediated through bio-mining, with compost reused as manure in coordination with the Agriculture Department.
The meeting also reviewed ongoing river rejuvenation, new parking and vendor-relocation projects, and the implementation of on-street parking systems. Funds were released to 14 localities under an outcome-based model to promote beautification projects and public participation. The Chief Minister distributed scale-up fund cheques to these localities for activities such as boundary-wall painting and uniform color schemes.
An interactive session between the Chief Minister and locality headmen allowed open discussions on urban issues including cleanliness, infrastructure, and safety. Sangma announced that the first phase of CCTV installation covering 48 localities with 250 cameras will be completed by the end of November. The Shillong Municipal Board will serve as the single maintenance agency for CCTV and street lighting.
He also directed phased cleaning and rehabilitation of city drains to prevent flooding and improve sanitation ahead of the 2027 National Games. Other highlights of the meeting included the expansion of Village Defense Party-style volunteer programmes for community policing, traffic management reforms, city beautification projects, and the development of public toilet facilities with CSR-based maintenance in key commercial areas.
