Kangpokpi: Following the successful cleaning and rejuvenation campaign of Nambul River, Directorate of Environment & Climate Change and Water Resources Department today launched a month-long ‘Cleaning of Imphal River Campaign under the River Rejuvenation Programme’ in Kangpokpi district of Manipur. 

The programme is undertaken in collaboration with the District Administration Kangpokpi, Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council (SH-ADC), Kangpokpi Town Committee (KTC), Kangpokpi Women’s Welfare Organisation (KWWO), Kangpokpi Youth Union (KYU) among others.

Deputy Director Dr. T. Brajakumar Singh, Directorate of Environment and Climate Change said the target is to fully clean the Imphal River which is under the initiative of Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri N. Biren Singh and guidance of Water Resources Minister Shri Awangbow Newmai.  

Informing that the Imphal River cleaning drive is along the stretch from Kangpokpi to Sekmai for phase-I, he said the cleaning process has started from today in Kangpokpi district. He also said, simultaneously a month-long awareness campaign will begin from coming Tuesday (4th October, 2022) at each and every wards of the district consisting of around 50 households. 

He said the target is to collect domestic waste at each household and to impose door to door waste collection at various establishments which will be done by the KTC under the overall supervision of the SH-ADC. He informed that actions have been taken up as per the District Environment Plan. 

Stating that the target is to change people’s habit and to privatise the door to door collection for self sustenance for the maintenance of the operation, he informed that the aim is to stop domestic waste/solid waste from polluting the Imphal River. 

He said establishment areas like markets, hospitals, offices, shops among others will have to mandatory pay fees for the collection of solid waste, which will be done on daily basis. He informed that in case the campaign is successful than it will be continued for few months. 

On the other hand, KTC Chairman Angam Leivon welcomed the move of the government and expressed his happiness over the cleaning of the river, plan for awareness campaign and collection of solid waste. Stating that the plan will surely help the people of the district to live in clean environment, he said the action plan is the need of the hour as it is important to save the rivers and other water bodies in the State.  

It may be noted that on 19th of this month, Water Resources Minister Shri Awangbow Newmai along with Smt. Kengoo Zuringla, IAS, Deputy Commissioner Kangpokpi and officials of Water Resources Department and Directorate of Environment & Climate Change had inspected the Imphal River, Makhan River and Sekmai River banks.