Morung Express News
Dimapur/Kohima/Mokokchung/Mopungchuket | May 26
Nagaland, on May 26, joined the 12 other mountain states and 2 hill districts in The ‘Himalayan Clean Up Campaign,’ focusing attention on the problem of waste in the mountains and bringing the issue of solid waste to the forefront.
The campaign witnessed a massive participation by thousands of volunteers across the state. Initiated by Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI) and ZeroWaste Himalayas and coordinated by the Sustainable Development Forum Nagaland (SDFN), reports from the event are pouring in from Dimapur, Kohima, Mon, and Mokokchung districts so far.
In keeping with the global World Environment Day 2018 theme of Beat Plastic Pollution, the SDFN stated that the campaign provided key insights into how much of the trash collected is plastic waste; recycled, and its usages through a process of waste audits and brand audits.
Kohima: In the state capital Kohima, several volunteers representing NEN, Light House, Kohima Municipal Council, Project 72 Hours, NEIDA, forest department, Chizami Baptist Fellowship, Lhisemia Youth Organization (LYO), NASTEC, Union Baptist Church Kohima, State Disaster Response Force Nagaland etc. etc. joined and cleaned the waste from Sanuoru stream till Nagaland Legislative Assembly secretariat.
“We encourage the citizen of Nagaland to be more cautious of their waste and learn how to segregate instead of dumping here and there,” said Sievituo Solo, one of the core members of Project 72 hours.
“If we do not clean our own colony, our own compound, who will come and clean for us?,” questioned Supongnukshi (IFS) from forest department and stressed on the need to take up the challenge by the respective colonies.
Khrowhiweu Tsuhah, research fellow IMI said that today’s endeavor was not just a kind of cleaning up the waste but also to identify the amount of waste which has been generating in our own community.
LYO president Khriesazo Liezietsu extended fullest cooperation towards this Himalayan cleanup campaign.
Dimapur: In commercial capital Dimapur, the target venue was the Railway Station. By 6 AM hundreds of volunteers had gathered at the venue to clean the vicinity. While the cleaning concluded by 9, there was segregation of the waste done thereafter. It was sponsored by DMC and organised by Life NGO in partnership with Act of Kindness and Trailblazer Society in Coordination with Sustainable Forum Nagaland.
The participating organizations were Ebenezer orphanage; All Nagaland Taxi Association, Nagaland Police, MCO Dimapur,Dimapur Ao Baptist Church (DABA), Dimapur Lotha Baptist Church, Dimapur District Autorickshaw Drivers Union (DDADU), Indisen Youth Ministry, NEISSR, Livingstone Higher Sec School, C-Edge College; Salt Christian College of Teachers Education, Don Bosco Higher Sec. School, Immanuel College, Dimapur Municipal Council, Northeast Frontier Railways, Asangma student Union, and Dimapur Changki Laishiri Longjem (DCLL).
A total of 279 Members registered while many unregistered volunteers participated without registration, the organizers informed. After the clean–up, volunteers were seen segregating the waste and weighing the same for auditing.
Mokokchung: Clean Mokokchung Campaign, a group of like-minded people working towards a cleaner Mokokchung Town, organized the event in Mokokchung town. More than 300 volunteers turned up for the campaign from different local organisations, churches and ministries including the Mokokchung Police. The participation of organization and groups like the Mokochung Police, Ao Kaketshir Telongjem, Mokokchung Motorcycyle Association, AA Mokokchung, Childline Centre, Mokokchung , to name a few, showed the solidarity of the people of Mokokchung in coming together for a good cause.
The Clean-up campaign started from Old Town Hall area and the areas covered were MMC Complex, PolicePoint Area, the stretch of road leading to Police Station I, Yongpang market and the whole stretch of road till police point.
Mon Town: In Mon, the Himalayan Clean up drive was organised by Walo organisation, a Mon-based NGO assocaited with documentation, health, education and various other social initiatives. It was held at Private Station, Mon.
Various unions, club and association like Mon Town Student's Union, Jovinal Sports and Welfare club, Konyak Union, Grace Ministry, Sunday School Department of Konyak Baptist Bumeinok Bangjum and concern individual also supported the Clean up drive. The District administration also supported the Clean up drive.
This was the first time that a brand audit took place and many volunteers showed active interest in the process. A signature campaign taking pledge to 'beat plastic pollution' was also undertaken where Individuals and groups took part.
As a follow up, a group has been formed and the decision is taken that the theme for zero waste and Beat Plastic Pollution will be taken forward at the district level June i.e. World Environment Day.
Mopungchuket: Mopungchuket village under Mokokchung district of Nagaland also participated at the campaign with more than a hundred volunteers joining the exercise.
Initiated by The Greensight Project in collaboration with the Youth Department of Mopungchuket Baptist Church, volunteers from the Mopungchuket Village Development Board, Mopungchuket Watsü, Water and Sanitation Committee, the Mopungchuket Students’ Union and the Mopungchuket Village Council along with several well wishers teamed up for the cleanup.
The volunteers cleaned all the streets and drainages in the village as well as Mangkolong picnic spot, Süngkotenem Park, Longrangtenem Park, Community Hall premises, Community Rest House premises, and Jina and Etiben Memorial towers.
They also collected all the street garbage bins as well as waste clothes from all the households.
In tune with the day’s theme “Beat Plastic Pollution,” only indigenous bamboo cups, plates and flasks were used to serve refreshment to the volunteers. PHED Mokokchung contributed the working gloves for the volunteers.
After collecting the waste materials, the volunteers segregated and audited the waste and disposed the ultimate discards after saving the reusable ones.
The ultimate discards, which formed a major junk of the garbage, were disposed at Mokokchung Municipal Council’s dumping site while the reusable ones were stored at the “Resource Collection Centre.”
It may be mentioned that the resource collection center, which is being temporarily housed at the Mopungchuket VDB multi-purpose building, is a new initiative in the village and a direct outcome of The Himalayan Cleanup 2018.
The volunteers also undertook the pledge ‘A journey towards Zero Waste’ as part of the cleanup day. A total of 1248 Kgs of waste were collected today, with clothes and textile wastes forming the major junk of it weighing 864 Kgs.
