Shillong, March 2: A campaign to maintain cleanliness in the city was launched here today with a promise to make the drive sustainable and not a one-off or a photo-op operation.
Under the aegis of the North Shillong Welfare Development Society, a welfare organisation, the campaign was launched by urban affairs minister Ampareen Lyngdoh from Motphran - the biggest commercial hub of the state.
With the slogan "Come and join hands in keeping our city clean and unity is strength", the campaign entails not only garbage collection from hundreds of shops, but also spreads awareness through word of mouth about the virtues of cleanliness.
While launching the campaign, Ampareen lauded sweepers for their dedicated service and appealed to people to keep the city clean. She said the success of the campaign would depend on people's support. She also stressed the need to involve not only schoolchildren, but also women and youths to make the city clean.
Home minister Roshan Warjri, MLA from North Shillong, called upon everyone to work together and play a role to keep the city clean.
Encouraging the society members to work towards their aim, she said the government would extend all support to the Society in its endeavours.
Highlighting the aims of the campaign, Society secretary (administration), Farida Warjri, said the campaign would be an ongoing process and not just a one-day event.
She said the Society, which is being led by Arwan Tariang, would engage four persons to work on a daily basis, particularly during congested hours, to collect garbage from shops and other establishments.
She, however, made it clear that the Society would not be creating any mini garbage-collection centres, but to clean and teach others to do the same through awareness.
One of the techniques to spread awareness is through posters which would be put up in buses coming from all over towards Motphran, the heart and lifeline of the city, she added. "This is a phase wise exercise in commercial hubs. Our next target would be Khyndailad (Police Bazaar). We will also be working towards collaboration and convergence with all stakeholders," Farida said.
Waste management in the city has always been an uphill task due to the ever-growing population and the challenge to maintain cleanliness has only been greater with each passing day.
For a state, which is home to Mawlynnong - dubbed as Asia's cleanest village - the challenge to maintain cleanliness is even larger. Mawlynnong finds mention in the Economic Survey 2014-15 which was tabled in Parliament on Friday.
"Mawlynnong in Meghalaya is a model that showcases how collective effort can help a village find a place on the tourism map. The village has 80 households of which 29 are below poverty line (BPL). Being awarded Asia's cleanest village has resulted in an increase in the number of tourists to this village," the survey stated.
