Dimapur, April 6 (MExN): In an effort to upscale the good practices of waste management in Dimapur City, Pro Rural (NGO) conducted Zero Waste (ZW) Craft Training from waste materials at Kuda (Nagarjan) Youth Hall, Dimapur on April 5.
Taylor Cass Stevenson from the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative, Bhutan was the main resource person for training which was held for local community leaders, NGOs, educational institutes and social entrepreneurs.
“The foremost step towards waste management is the change of mindset of its people,” said Taylor in the training. Briefing on zero waste management approach, the trainer pointed out that it is not merely by collecting the waste and dumping it somewhere that a city or a locality will become clean. It has much more to be thought of and acted upon. Citing the example of the garbage dumping site of Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC), Taylor pointed out the following challenges:
• When rain comes, some waste from the site will be washed away and be drawn into the rivers where it will continue to pollute the environment at large.
• The waste will also be drenched by the rain water and the contaminated water will get mix with the underground water where its denizens largely depend for consumption and their living.
• On burning the waste, people will inhale the toxic air and those poisonous elements from the air pollution can directly or indirectly get into human body system that can cause many diseases and sicknesses.
• The amount of methane gas being produce at the dumping site can also greatly contribute to the rise of atmospheric temperature leading to global warming and climate change.
Quoting the statement, “Whatever good or bad that you do the same will come back to you,” Taylor exhorted the participants to consciously and actively choose the path to zero waste in caring for our world.
The resource person remarked that a call for collective efforts with the Government departments, business community, NGOs, institutions, agencies, individuals, etc. towards a clean and green Dimapur is the need of the hour.
Taylor also shared many success stories of good practices of zero waste approach in many places across the world. She categorically stated three areas often where many people tend to neglect those who are largely contributing towards the waste management of a locality viz. the rack pickers, the scrap dealers and the artisans. These groups of people require the much cooperation and appreciation for their valuable contribution to the society. The resource person also called upon a conscious and active participation from everyone towards a zero waste approach in keeping one’s own household, locality and Dimapur neat and clean and a better place to live in.
The participants were taught the techniques of segregation and minimization of waste production and also the craft on how to make different usable items from discarded plastic water bottles, old cloths and foot wares.
It may be mentioned here that Pro Rural has been actively campaigning on waste management and has been conducting different related programmes in and around Dimapur city.
