SHILLONG, Dec 5: It is that time of the year. Festivities are knocking on the door of Shillong and with that being said, several localities in Shillong and on the outskirts are rolling up their sleeves to clean some dirt.
These localities will be holding the annual cleaning drive this month in view of the festive season.
This initiative of the different Dorbar Shnong to keep their localities clean is just a ceremonious activity since no steps are taken to educate people on the need to keep the surrounding clean.
During the annual cleaning drives, the residents of different localities will come out in large numbers and converge in groups to clean the surroundings. While this activity depicts teamwork and coordination, a lot of those are tossed out the window during most parts of the year as people keep throwing plastic waste and garbage across the cityscape.
It is pertinent on part of the Dorbar Shnong to play a pro-active role in educating residents to adopt a sense of responsibility towards keeping the environment clean and thus, stop dumping garbage haphazardly.
The Dorbar Shnong of Mawlai Mawdatbaki will organise the cleaning drive in various blocks from December 8 till 17.
In a statement, secretary of Dorbar Shnong Mawlai Mawdatbaki, LS Lyngdoh Nongpiur, informed about the dates scheduled for the cleaning drives — Dong Pdengshnong on December 8, Dong Nongmali-1 on December 11, Dong Nongpathaw on December 13, Dong Pata on December 14, Dong Umjan on December 15, Dong Mawapkhaw on December 16 and Dong Nongmali-2 on November 17.
Nongpiur has also requested residents who own a house and a plot of land in the blocks to meet the Dorbar Shnong before the date of the cleaning drive.
The Dorbar secretary also called upon drivers of auto rickshaw drivers, cabbies and other commercial vehicle operators who park their vehicles in the locality to take part in the cleaning drive, while adding that the cleaning drive in all the blocks will start begin at 8.30 in the morning.
Lastly, the Dorbar has urged the general public to bear with them as there will be restrictions on entry of vehicles during the hours of the cleaning drive.