Aghunato and Phek observe the Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign with clean drives and civic awareness.
DIMAPUR — Aghunato Town Council and the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) in Phek observed the nationwide Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign with awareness meetings and cleanliness drives in their respective jurisdictions.
Aghunato: Aghunato Town Council observed the campaign with awareness meetings held at Inavi Colony and nine other colonies of Aghunato town under Zunheboto district, according to a DIPR report.
Addressing the gathering at Inavi Colony, Chairman of Aghunato Town Council Ahokhe Achumi advocated strongly for keeping the town clean, hygienic, and litter-free.
The chairman asserted that the town council will provide four dustbins each to all colonies for disposing of dry and wet garbage as and when the government provides them. He advised the public to judiciously utilise the dustbins and dispose of waste only in designated bins.
At Vikiye Colony, the programme was presided over by Aghunato Town Council Member Juvitoli Yeptho. She called upon shopkeepers to maintain cleanliness in and around their shops, make proper use of the dustbins provided by the council, and motivate their neighbours to inculcate civic sense and community cooperation.
During the deliberation, Business Union Aghunato President Kakishe Yepthomi highlighted the acute non-availability of public toilets and urine sheds in the commercial hub and urged the council to construct them in all colonies. He also expressed concern over random and unauthorised collection of money from shopkeepers, particularly from non-locals, and urged the administration to take disciplinary action.
Vilopu Katty, a member of the business union, voiced concern over the urgent requirement of community steps for public convenience and a shortage of electricity poles, noting that the number of households has increased manifold.
The campaign concluded with a collective pledge to uphold cleanliness and make Aghunato a model clean town.
Phek: In Phek district, awareness and advocacy programmes were conducted from September 21 to the 23rd at Chezesu village, Chozuba, and Meselumi village under the theme "Clean public spaces" and "Clean water bodies", organised by the PHED Phek.
At Chezesu village, a cleanliness drive was carried out with the village community, focusing on the tourist site and community toilets.
The department, in collaboration with Government Higher Secondary School Chozuba, also organised a programme at the additional deputy commissioner (ADC) headquarters in Chozuba on September 22, where a cleanliness drive was conducted at traditional wells, ponds, streams, and nullahs.
On September 23 at Meselumi village, a cleanliness drive was conducted with villagers. Exhorting the gathering, Executive Engineer of PHED Phek Narisen Jami stated that the aim of the campaign was to promote and encourage community ownership through responsible waste management and cleanliness.
The executive engineer highlighted that activities during the campaign included advocacy for four-way segregation (Ab Do Nahi, Chaar), demonstration of four-way bin usage, a "Say no to plastic" awareness drive with the distribution of reusable cloth bags, distribution of compost packets, and a demonstration of the home composting method.