NAHARLAGUN, 10 Feb: Volunteers of the Youth Mission for Clean River (YMCR) removed over 5,000 kgs of waste from the Barapani river here on Saturday.
More than 60 volunteers cleared plastic and household wastes from the river and its surrounding drains and streams, in collaboration with Ward 14 of the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) and the Takar Colony Youth Association, and with support from the Itanagar Smart City Corporation Limited, it informed in a release.
During the drive, IMC Mayor Tamme Phassang emphasised “the importance of self-awareness and cooperation among the residents,” it said.
“Phassang pointed out that the garbage in the Barapani river mainly originates from the people in the Naharlagun area, who thoughtlessly discard waste when crossing the bridge,” it said, adding that the mayor condemned such behaviour and urged everyone to “take responsibility for their garbage, expressing the need to feel ashamed about mindlessly dumping household waste into the river.”
The mayor also urged the home department and the Naharlagun SP to promptly evict unauthorised makeshift toilets constructed near the rivers, which discharge directly into the river, the release stated.
“Corporator Gyamar Tubin highlighted the challenge of IMC trucks visiting the colony every alternate day due to mechanical issues, and requested the residents not to dispose of garbage into drains and rivers during the days when the trucks are not available,” the YMCR said.
YMCR organising secretary Keyom Doni informed, “We also raised awareness about the importance of keeping our rivers clean, and demonstrated how we can reuse items to benefit the environment. Recyclable waste was handed over to scrap dealers, legacy waste was disposed of at the Hollongi dumping ground, and biodegradable waste was placed in compost pits.”
