By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Open dumping and throwing of garbage is a common sight in Shillong city and there are fears garbage has become so overwhelming that there might even be an outbreak of serious diseases.
Environmental concerns has brought at least 19 NGOs on a common platform to begin with cleaning up the Umkhrah and Umshyrpi rivers before launching on an all out cleaning drives of the city.
In this effort the district administration too has teamed up with civil society groups to ensure the effort does not become another non-starter.
In a bid to streamline the entire garbage collection and management exercise in the city, the Indian Green Service from Vellore which has developed a highly effective model of garbage management will be coming up with a design which if implemented in letter and spirit would help to restore Shillong to a clean and decent city.
Presenting a detailed outline of the project before media persons at the office of the Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills on Saturday, Indian Green Service Project Director C Srinivasan said that the idea behind the presentation is to show how garbage can become a livelihood for many.
“Under the project we educate people at their doorsteps on zero waste management and how garbage can become an earning if managed properly,” Sreenivasan said while presenting the plan before the representative of different localities of the city.
Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal who has been enthusiastic about cleaning up Shillong said that the idea can be implemented as a pilot project in at least four or five localities of Shillong.
“We have to start somewhere. We can no longer wait or indulge in the blame game. All of us are responsible so it’s time to work together, beginning at the level of localities,” Goyal said.
The NGOs are setting up an action plan to gear up public participation for April 21 (April 22, Sunday is World Earth Day).
Jemino Mawthoh member of the task force for the Clean Wah Umkhrah Campaign said, “We have to make it happen this time. The Umkhrah and garbage is everyone’s problem. We cannot kick it around any longer and with so many NGOs and the Dorbar Shnong joining hands, it has to be a success”.
After April 21, the next date for the mass mobilization is June 5, (World Environment Day) after which a clear and measurable action plan would have emerged from several consultations on how to begin the real ground work.
