Clean city ops, NIT session opened
CM Ibobi launches 'Zero Garbage Campaign' in city
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, August 12 2010: Chief Minister, O Ibobi today launched the "Zero Garbage Campaign" with the slogan "My City is getting ready, sign up" which aims at keeping Imphal neat and clean, free from and fifth dirt.

The Chief Minister handed over garbage cleaning equipments and vehicles procured by the Planning and Development Authority (PDA) under the Central sponsored Jawaharlal Nehru National Renewable Urban Mission (JnNRUM) to the chief executive officer of the Imphal Municipality, W Bhaktaraj on the occasion.

Addressing the launching function, Chief Minister, O Ibobi said that works for keeping Imphal neat and clean will be taken up under the JnNRUM but all projects and schemes should be completed within a time bound period.

No further works could continue after the targeted period.

Chief Minister O Ibobi, PDA chairman Dr Kh Loken and others at GM Hall

Taking advantage of the function, Chief Minister also clarified the reason behind the suspension of the Imphal Municipality Council (IMC) and said there is need for reformation in the council.

The functioning of the council has been greatly disturbed by frequent notices of no confidence motion by the councilors.

Apart of this, the IMC is not properly maintaining its income and expenditure statements.

As a result of it, government is compelled to keep in abeyance the power of the council for six month and government has deputed officers from the state finance service for streamlining the financial management of council, Ibobi said.

After completion of the streamlining of financial management and reforms to prevent irregularities in the future, the suspended order will be revoked, the chief minister assured.

The area covered by Imphal city is around 35 square kilometers.

However, the IMC could cover only around five square kilometer.

The rest 30 square kilometer could not be covered by the IMC, Ibobi said stressing the need for expansion of the coverage of the council and the need to take up works keep the city clean.

He also stressed the need for awareness on the need of keeping the city clean to all sections of society, particularly people residing in the city area and on the proper disposal of waste products.

Leaving the habit of throwing and dumping of waste products at improper places at night by Imphalites is a must and this is the main factor which makes the city dirty, he observed.

He cited as another factor vegetable vendors throwing out their waste on the streets.

Further speaking on the problems of streets vendors, he also blamed the IMC authority for issuing of license an in irregular manners.

There is need to stop the wanton issuing of vendor licences, the Chief Minister said appealing to the IMC to keep Imphal city clean.

Imphal city is the mirror of the state.

People coming from outside the state will guage the living standard of the people bared on the condition of the city.

Talking on various development plans for the Imphal city, Chief Minister, O Ibobi said that 25 buses which would operate passenger services on the streets within the city area are arriving soon.

Government is considering whether the area of operation of the buses will be extended to the periphery of the city area too.

PDA chairman, MLA Dr Kh Loken who presided over the launching function stressed on the need of people's awareness of the need to keep the city neat and clean and appealed to the people to cooperate with the government in the effort to make the city free from dirt.

State education minister, L Jayentakumar, chairman of the Manipur Pollution Board, MLA, E Dwijamani, opposition leader, MLA Radhabinod Koijam, MLA L Nandkumar, MLA E Suraj were among other dignitaries present at the launching function.

Before launching the campaign, a silent rally of the people marched on the streets of Imphal city.

The rally started from GM hall and after covering some streets concluded at its starting point.