By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 11: In a first-ever effort by any Dorbar Shnong, the Nongrim Hills Dorbar, led by Rangbah Shnong Bantylli L Narry and his team including the Seng Kynthei and Seng Samla, invited the members of Operation Clean-Up for a meeting where ideas were pooled on how to maintain vigil over the streamlet that flows through Nongrim Hills towards Umkaliar and onwards to Umkhrah river.
The Rangbah Shnong also invited KHADC CEM Pyniaid Sing Syiem to ensure that there are no gaps in the collaborative efforts. “Nongrim Hills is very concerned with the state of our rivers and would like to do our part in preventing any garbage from flowing into the streams. We will keep a vigilant eye to ensure that there are no violations by residents, especially those in the habit of dumping garbage into rivers instead of disposing it of into the garbage collecting trucks.”
DD Laloo, the Chief Advisor of the Dorbar Shnong, Nongrim Hills also spoke stating that it is time to work together and deal with the garbage menace by following a pragmatic roadmap where every member of the shnong will be made to feel responsible for the cleanliness of the shnong.
Members of the Seng Kynthei Nongrim Hills felt that wire meshes at drain outlets from individual homes would prevent garbage from flowing into the community drains and into the streams.
An appeal was made by the Operation Clean-up team, led by teal leader Patricia Mukhim, to the residents of Nongrim Hills to join hands in the river cleaning drive by preventing garbage of any kind, especially disposable syringes, etc., from entering the stream which ultimately lands up at Umkaliar. Mukhim also urged Nongrim Hills to set up a waste recovery centre, so that recyclable waste can be recovered and sold.
Vice Captain, Operation Clean-Up, Jiwat Vaswani whose team has been cleaning up Police Bazar and adjoining areas urged the residents of Nongrim Hills to consider the long-term impacts of dumping garbage in rivers and turning them to drains, “What are we elders leaving behind for our younger generation if this is how we pollute our stream and rivers. If every Dorbar Shnong takes charge of the cleanliness in their localities and makes it a model locality the word will spread and others too will emulate the effort,” Vaswani said.
A youth leader asked why the Government was not giving the compacter machine so that plastic waste could be compacted and sold to buyers who recycle them.
Meanwhile, the KHADC CEM said that the Council has scarce resources but despite that the Council is trying to use whatever resources are available to manage better waste disposal. “We will be putting up meshes over rivers and traps over drains to prevent solid waste from entering rivers. Now that the KHADC has come up with the Solid Waste Management Act we will ensure that the Act is implemented in letter and spirit,” Syiem stated.
Prof Teidor Lyngdoh of IIM Shillong, who is also a member of Operation Clean-Up, said the IIM would be happy to help create a business model on waste generated after consulting with experts and alumni of the Institute.
He said IIM Shillong would be happy to host the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong, Nongthymmai Pyllun as they deliberate on how to rejuvenate the rivers flowing through their respective Dorbar Shnong.