SHILLONG: The soul of Shillong is slowly but surely getting stirred to a new awakening; a quest for a cleaner city. There is among a section of the citizenry a desire to bring an end to irresponsible disposal of solid waste, and sewerage. The citizens have decided to work in tandem with the authorities responsible for keeping the town clean.
After decades of nonchalant abuse of the system and citizens’ abysmal lack of concern, Shillong has regressed from being the best hill station of the country into an unseemly urban space. Now, there are suddenly visible signs of a refreshing new start for a cleaner Shillong.
The Shillong Times Platinum Jubilee celebration which has pledged to aid, propel and sustain a citizens’ movement in this direction, is certainly proving to be a game changer.
So much so that for the first time in the 47-year-old state’s history the state government has now come up with a comprehensive road map for solid waste management. Indeed, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s recent launching of his signature project “Shillong, My Passion” carries the seed of a transformed and dynamic mechanism for tackling the burgeoning problem of solid waste management.
Call it sheer coincidence or the spiraling effect of The Shillong Times-led public movement, that this welcome move has come soon after the launch of Platinum Jubilee of this Daily.
Even the recent path-breaking decision of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council to ban the use of plastic at Iewduh-arguably the biggest market of the NE- is also a positive development that owes to this new-found civil society advocacy.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, the ongoing “Operation Clean-up Shillong” completed its fourth foray into cleaning up Umkhrah near Umkaliar, in the outskirts of Shillong.
Buoyed by the hands-on volunteering service rendered by the First Citizen of the state, Tathagata Roy, the drive saw over 300 volunteers of various descriptions laboriously collect and evacuate the accumulated piles of garbage. The heartening part was that the circle of volunteerism has been growing bigger. From about a hundred on Day One, the number rose to over 300 on Saturday.
The Governor, defying his age and position, came down to ground zero for literally lending a hand
) for, what he called, “restoring the pristine beauty,” of various streams and rivers in Shillong, his home during his growing up year.
Much needed support came from one of the positive-minded bureaucrats, Deputy Commissioner Matsiewdor War Nongbri, who vigorously worked with the rest of the volunteers for making a difference.
The collective effort, supplemented by the Shillong Municipal Board’s staff and machinery, PWD’s JCB, police personnel’s enthusiastic support to the cause, various educational institutions and the local Nongmynsong Dorbar officials have visibly left one stretch of the Umkhrah stream remarkably presentable.
For the record, the institutions in action today included institutions comprising the Indian Air Force, HQ, EAC, led by Wg Cdr Asha Chikanna, the Freemason’s Lodge, MakeSomeoneSmile, The Green Signal, Bethany Society and the Unitarian Church Shillong, Roraract Club PineCity, City Hut Dhaba &Jiva, doctors from NEIGRIHMS and MadBoy Nicky J of Radio Mirchi
The schools/colleges/universities present included Kiddies Corner Secondary School, St Anthony’s Higher Secondary School, Seven Set Higher Secondary School, Nongmensong Dorbar Secondary School, Women’s College, Martin Luther Christian University, William Carey University and IIM Shillong.
Concerned citizens were also present at the Operation CleanUp
Interestingly, Adeetya Vikram Tewari of Guwahati came up all the way to Shillong on Saturday morning to be part of what is now hash-tagged as #Operation Clean-up. This is his second foray into the Umkaliar River. Adeetya volunteers for #RallyForRivers.
On its part, The Shillong Times is committed to sustaining this movement for a Cleaner Shillong.
