Share
Dimapur, Sep. 18 (EMN): The Chizami Students' Union (CSU), in collaboration with the village’s six khels and co-partnered by Let's Do It India Foundation and United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), organised the World Cleanup Day in the village on September 17.
“Acting locally and to collectively work towards a waste free, healthy, clean, eco-friendly community and actualising sustainable development goals, more than 150 citizens from Chizami village led by the CSU participated in the village cleanup campaign,” informed CSU in an update.
The volunteers cleaned up the village footpath, water sources (springs), market area and public spaces, which are sites of importance for the community.
It stated that springs are of utmost importance because they are the lifeline as they address the drinking and domestic needs particularly during the lean seasons.
About 54 kg of waste, mostly single use plastics, were collected and one of the major challenges after the cleanup was the disposal of plastic wastes as there is no designated site or infrastructure for recycling and management, which is common in most of the villages and towns in the state, it stated.
“Through our experiences, relying on cleanups alone is not the solution for a waste-free community. We all must make an effort to be socially responsible and strive to move towards mindful and sustainable lifestyles. Practicing 5Rs daily starting from self to communities - Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle will go a long way,” the CSU members shared.
“Every small action matters and together, we are powerful and impactful,” it added.
CSU recommended that waste management needs a concerted effort of all individuals, institutions, and government.
“At the household level, families should segregate and manage their own wastes. At the community level, village council and institutions must prioritise in developing community-based waste management systems, which should also include designation of common waste disposal sites,” it stated.
“At the state level, the government must make every effort to strengthen the waste management policy and infrastructures, provide an enabling environment by supporting the knowledge and raise more effective and efficient awareness on the waste issue and beyond. Partnership is the key to addressing and finding better waste-free solutions for a cleaner future and combat climate change,” CSU added.
It may be mentioned that World Cleanup Day was initiated in 2008 in Northern European country of Estonia as a localised initiative and has presently become a global bottom-up civic movement.