For a cleaner city
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: November 01 2011 -

Manipur, at present is a land of scarcities, especially with the twin economic blockade in place. Almost everything is in short supply - essential items, petrol, cooking gas, medicines, you name it.

Then there are shortages which are eternal with Manipur - drinking water, electricity and other basic amenities. But in the midst of these shortages there is something which is plentiful in this land of ours - garbage and other wastes.

If we go around the city area starting right from the middle of Thangal bazaar up to the surrounding areas and beyond into the lanes and by lanes, we are sure to come across piles and piles of garbage at regular interval all along.

Of course every now and then there is some cleanliness drive by the local club of the area or some voluntary organizations sometimes in association of the Imphal Municipal Council.

The garbage gets dumped in some place little far from the area or to Lamphel area, the present dumping ground of garbage and wastes from Imphal area.

But then these sporadic voluntary cleanliness drives at the most is a temporary measure and in a few days time again the wastes and garbage starts pilling up again.

This is bound to happen as there is no proper system for management of this garbage. The Imphal Municipal Council is almost dysfunctional, rarely do we find them carrying out garbage clearing as some kind of routine work, if at all it does,it is only on some rare occasion, which hardly serves any purpose accept the symbolism.

The problem of wastes and garbage is becoming more and more acute as a result of rapid urbanization, increasing population and changing lifestyle. In this transition, Manipur and especially the Imphal city has been caught napping.

In the olden days, some three four decades back, the population was not so much, the garbage generated that much lesser and almost entirely bio degradable. The residential areas were that much more sparsely populated allowing each family to possess a little bamboo grove, a small pond, a little kitchen garden and a backyard which are used for wastes and garbage disposal by digging up Lukkhak kom (waste pit).

The Kongbans or a free flowing natural drainage system was also part of this waste management system of yore. Since, almost the entire waste is bio- degradable, it would become a part of the Kongbans or else be food for the fishes which dwell there.

Now the older system has disappeared almost completely from greater Imphal area - the residential areas have become so densely populated that there is no room for ponds, bamboos, kitchen gardens or a garbage pits at the backyard, the Kongbans too have disappeared to be replaced by tiny little concrete drains which overflows at the drop of a shower.

And sadly, there is no effective alternative arrangement in place to manage the ever increasing garbage and waste of every nature, including medical waste. But luckily for Manipur because of under development we are saved from industrial wastes.

The Solid Management Plant at Lamdeng Lokchao which was supposed to take care of the wastes and garbage generated not only from Imphal but the whole of Manipur, whose foundation stone was laid in February 2009 and slated to be functional by March of this year is yet to be completed.

Meanwhile, the dumping ground at Lamphel could no longer take care of the massive waste generated by the ever increasing population of Imphal city. Also this open dumping ground has become an issue of health hazard for the people living in its vicinity.

Taking all these into consideration, it is imperative that steps be taken to make the Solid Management Plant functional at the earliest. There are other steps which can be taken up side by side, as for instance, creating awareness among the public about proper garbage disposal and hygienic living, banning of polythene bags more effectively, discourage use of packaged items etc.

Young school going children should be encouraged to adopt lifestyle which generate less waste, is sanitary, they should be taught not to litter and dispose off wastes at appropriate places.

The state government should also be geared to evolve a mechanism for proper and safe disposal of medical wastes which is also increasing by the day.

Let us make Imphal a cleaner, healthier city, and who knows, it might help in unclogging our minds also.