Manipur's Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD), has identified around 20 locations in and around Imphal town, to create a bin-free city
IMPHAL — Manipur's Municipal Administration,
Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD), has identified around 20 locations used
as garbage dumping sites in and around Imphal town, to create a bin-free city
under Swachh Bharat initiative.
Out of the 20 identified locations, several have been
cleared so far and the department aims to undertake initiatives at the
remaining locations every Saturday.
This was disclosed by the MAHUD director Ngangom Uttam Singh
during the one- day media sensitisation workshop on ‘My waste, my responsibility’
held at Manipur University on Thursday.
The workshop was jointly organised by the college
development council, Manipur University, and MAHUD department, Government of
Manipur.
Emphasising on solid waste management, the director said
that only a unified stand can reduce the cost of solid waste management, which
is very expensive.
“There are various challenges being faced to maintain
cleanliness in all the 25 towns of the state. In order to achieve our goal, we
should never forget our contributions. Therefore, the workshop ‘My waste, my
responsibility’ is being organised,” Singh said.
The official also mentioned that installing dustbins can
exacerbate garbage scattering. Instead, he appealed to every household to
segregate their waste, emphasising that this simple step would mark a
significant milestone in achieving their mission.
He affirmed that various technologies, methods, machineries,
and techniques are being installed and implemented to achieve the targeted
goal. He urged the general public to adopt the ‘3 Rs’ - Reduce, Reuse and
Recycle.
Vice Chancellor of Manipur University, Prof. Naorem Lokendra
Singh, who also addressed the workshop, said that the Swachh Bharat Mission has
brought about a significant transformation in India's sanitation landscape in a
remarkably short span of time.
Previously, open space defecation was practiced in mass, but
with the implementation of Swachh Bharat Campaign, India has been globally
recognised for successfully controlling this unhygienic practice, he said.
In Manipur also, various central-sponsored schemes related
to cleanliness and hygiene have already been implemented in different areas.
The university has also been organising awareness-related programmes and
meetings. However, despite these efforts, the desired level of cleanliness have
not been achieved, he added.
The vice chancellor noted that Manipur was known for its
cleanliness some years back, but due to changes in socio-political dynamics,
the state has witnessed significant changes in recent years. In order to cope
up with such changes and promote a hygienic lifestyle, he suggested
incorporating relevant topics into the academic curriculum across all
disciplines.
Dr. T Brajakumar Singh, Director of Environment and Climate
Change, who also shared his insights on waste management, suggested that
success stories on waste management should be showcased, apart from focussing
on the conversion of river banks into riverbank gardens.
The workshop was also attended by scholars, faculties,
students of Manipur University and media persons.
