Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 27:
Garbage picking work within Imphal Municipal area including Paona Bazar and Thangal Bazar has been entrusted to five NGOs.
Speaking at the inaugural function of Privatisation of Solid Waste Management at the premises of Imphal Municipal Council today, Chief Minister O Ibobi claimed that Imphal will become the cleanest city in the entire North East region once the various city development projects and schemes being executed in Imphal are completed.
He disclosed that the State Government has been considering privatisation of the solid waste disposal work in Imphal since a long time back but the plan was delayed due to practical complications.
Nevertheless, the Chief Minister noted that even if several NGOs and a thousand employees of Imphal Municipal Council are working to cleanse solid waste and garbage, Imphal city can never become a clean city as long as people lack civic sense and do not cooperate with the workers.
With several city development projects set to complete in October this year, Imphal city will then be able stand among other cities of India in terms of clean atmosphere, sanitation etc, claimed the Chief Minister.
Flatly rejecting media reports concerning intimation from the Ministry of Urban Development to the State Government to return the amount sanctioned for construction of market complexes in Imphal , he assured that construction work of the market places which have been halted at present will be resumed soon.
Ibobi further conveyed of the State Government's plan to upgrade Imphal Municipal Council to the status of a Corporation and to shift its office to the Assembly complex once the construction of Capital Project is completed.
The Chief Minister while appealing to the people to cooperate with the Government in its various development projects, claimed that serious efforts are being put in to make Imphal city admirable to peoples of other States and abroad.
Today's inaugural function was presided by MLA Nandakumar while MLAs I Hemochandra, E Kunjeshor and Chairperson of IMC A Jiwanlata were the guests of honour.
The five NGOs which have signed a one year contract with the IMC for picking garbage from IMC area include Thangmeiband Assembly Constituency Development Forum, MEEHUL Foundation Nagamapal, Seven Security force Tera, Centre for Research and Environment Development Naoremthong Bazar and Workers' Union, Irabot Bhavan.
Five pick-up trucks to transport solid waste and garbage were also flagged off by the Chief Minister.