Zero garbage drive launched
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 12 2010: An awareness campaign christened "My city is ready.

Sign Up� Zero Garbage Campaign" aimed at making Imphal a clean and hygienic city was launched today by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi.

Notably, Imphal has been already declared a 'mission city' under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM).

To make Imphal a clean and environment friendly city, many projects would be taken up in the State under JNURM from next year.

It is reported that 79 per cent of the garbages and waste materials of Imphal city having a total population of around 2.5 lakh people can be converted into 'wealth'.

Even as NGOs have been roped in to do house to house garbage picking up work covering around 46,000 houses located inside Imphal Municipality area, the same exercise has yielded very little results.

CM having a look at the equipments for Zero Garbage mission

Lack of awareness among the general populace has been cited as one of the primary reasons for the failure of the garbage picking work.

With many projects in pipeline, it is expected that Imphal city would be undergoing a noticeable change in the coming years.

But it demands a level of awareness among the citizens, said MAHUD Director M Geetkumar.

It was with this understanding that the two months long awareness campaign was launched today.

Based on suggestions collected from the public and experiences drawn from the campaign, a long term policy would be formulated to make Imphal city dust-bin free where waste materials and garbage would be drained out directly to treatment plant.

Speaking at the launching function of the campaign at GM Hall here this afternoon, Chief Minister O Ibobi underscored the need for collective understanding and joint efforts by every denizens of Imphal.

Stating that there were many anomalies and discrepancies within Imphal Municipal Council, Ibobi listed such irregularities like doling market shed licences as well as street vendor licences without verification, failure to do double accounting in financial matters, lack of knowledge about the number of shops accruing revenue to the IMC etc.

The IMC has been kept under suspension for six months to streamline its administration and functions, Ibobi iterated.

Informing that streamlining financial matters has started by deputing two Manipur Finance Service Officers, Ibobi said that the Councillors would be instructed to manage the financial matters like the Govt did once the administration is streamlined.

There is no question of the Govt forfeiting people's democratic rights.

There is a standing regulation of the Govt of India that development funds would not sanctioned of the elected local bodies are kept freezed, the Chief Minister said.

Ibobi stated that relevant laws may be invoked if the citizens refuse to dispose waste materials at right places in proper manner.

The Chief Minister then handed over many equipment procured for use in solid waste management and collection to the Executive Officer of the IMC.

The campaign launching function was also attended by PDA Chairman Dr Kh Loken, former Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam, Education Minister L Jayantakumar, Chairman of the Manipur Pollution Control Board E Dwijamani, MLA L Nandakumar and MLA E Suraj as presidium members.