SHILLONG: Asia’s cleanest village, Mawlynnong, earned yet another feather in its cap after it was conferred the 9th ICON Excellence Award at a conference in Bhubaneshwar.
Mawlynnong was selected for the award after a team from Kalinga Institute for Industrial Technology (KIIT), Odisha, visited the village and was captivated by the waste management practices of the locals. This led to the selection of the village to participate in the 9th International Conference on Sustainable Waste Management towards Circular Economy.
The conference was attended by recipients from other states which included local bodies and NGOs. Officials from Basin Development Unit of the district led the delegation from the state who also participated in the workshop held during the conference.
The 9th Icon Sustainable Waste Management for Circular Economy is a platform which recognises excellent work of ULBs, villages and individuals every year. “This year we recommended Mawlynnong village for the IconSWM Excellence Award 2019 for cleanliness, community participation, home composting and sustainable decentralised waste management,” said Sadhan Kumar Ghosh of Jadavpur University and also the Founder and Chairman, IconSWM.
He also added that Mawlynnong has set an excellent example to the world on how a small village can make a huge impact through proper and discipline waste management.
The representatives from Mawlynnong expressed their gratitude and said that such award is an honour not only to the village but to the state. “The award will instill more confidence and commitment among the residents of Mawlynnong and encourage other villages for conserving and protecting the environment through proper waste management,” said Moral Thongni, the headman of Mawlynnong village.
