Dimapur, Mokokchung bring on the broom to clean up rail station

[caption id="attachment_185472" align="alignnone" width="550"] Volunteers from local community organisations taking part in the clean-up campaign at the railway station in Dimapur on May 26.[/caption] Eastern Mirror Desk Dimapur, May 26: In solidarity with the Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI) and Zero Wastes Himalaya’s, the Himalayan Cleanup Campaign focusing attention on the problem of waste in the mountains across the 12 Himalayan states, more than 250 volunteers turned up for a clean-up drive at the railway station in Dimapur on May 26. The railway station cleanup drive was sponsored by the Dimapur Muncipal Council (DMC) and organised by Life NGO in partnership with Act of Kindness (AoK) and Trailblazer Society in coordination with Sustainable Development Forum Nagaland (SDFN). The purpose of the clean-up was not just to spread publicity about plastic pollution and its harmful effects but that realistic brand audit would be undertaken through data collection at the source. Besides, it is to identify which brands are generating pollution. “Plastic waste is the most problematic of all the waste, especially the disposables. It is high time that we Nagas should also try finding alternatives to the plastic use,” volunteer from AoK said. The method for audit will include branded plastic items such as plastic bottles, tetra packs, multi layered plastics and all branded plastics. According to the manual provided by the IMI, audit will be done only on a sample volume of each. If more than 15 sacks of waste are collected, 10% of each sample will be sent for audit. If less than five sacks, only one will be sent for audit, it was stated. “We should be responsible for the waste we generate, be sensible and come together to make a better Dimapur” one volunteer said. More than 94 organizations in six districts took part in a cleanliness drive. The team that participated in a drive in Dimapur district were AOK, Life NGO, Ebenezer orphanage, All Nagaland Taxi Association Auto Union, Nagaland Police, MCO Dimapur, DABA, Dimapur Lotha Baptist Church, Indisen youth ministry, NEISSR, Livingstone H. S. School, Cutting Edge college, Salt Christian College of Teachers Education, Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Immanuel College, DMC, Northeast Frontier Railways, Asangma Student Union, Dimapur Changki Laishiri Longjem. Also, as the part of the Himalayan Cleanup campaign, Sustainable Development Forum Nagaland (SDFN), CAN Youth and Team Clean Dimapur carried out a cleanliness drive in partnership with the department of Forest at the Nagaland Zoological Park on May 26 in Dimapur. Children from Prodigal’s Home and members of Dimasa Students’ Union also joined the cleanliness drive. The director of Nagaland Zoological Park, Obed and former minister Tourism department, Vatsu Meru were also in attendance. All waste materials were collected together and brand audit was done to find out which brands of plastics were used in Nagaland. A supervisor during the cleanliness, Azo informed that the audit record would be sent to IMI and that the IMI would approach respective company to inform them of the pollution they contribute to environment. Mokokchung also joined the Himalayan Cleanup Campaign, with participation of more than 300 volunteers from different local organisations, churches and ministries, and police. The drive was organised by a group of likeminded people working towards a cleaner Mokokchung town, the press release from the organisers informed. Volunteers cleaned up MMC Complex, Police Point area, road stretch from police station-1 to Yongpang market to Police point.