By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 30: With Shillong continuing to contribute to the state’s tourism prowess, the issue of littering and garbage-dumping in the state capital is synchronously becoming a major concern. The state government, however, has devised some strategies to address the same by involving social groups and self-help groups (SHGs) as part of the tourism policy.
Speaking on the concerns posed by garbage-dumping, Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh said that the government is mindful of the issue and is contemplating the inclusion of social groups and SHGs in the state’s tourism ecosystem where the plan is to make them proactive stakeholders. Revealing that it is a plan as part of the tourism policy, Lyngdoh said the process can only be initiated after the Lok Sabha election is over.
It may be mentioned that only recently, the state government had launched the ‘My City Campaign’ to tackle the city’s garbage woes. Despite the initiative, the problem continues to exacerbate in the state capital.
A stroll through Motphran, the city’s beating heart, unveils a landscape marred by the pungent aroma of careless dumping and towering piles of rubbish, while water seeps right through the main road.
Meanwhile, Police Bazar, touted as a ‘no-littering area’, paints a starkly different picture with garbage scattered indiscriminately.
The dearth of dustbins in Shillong makes any venture, looking to make the city cleaner, a task more daunting than it already is.