A State-level workshop on Solid and Liquid Waste Management was inaugurated by PHE and Water Sanitation Minister Wangki Lowang at Dree Ground in Nago Putu in Ziro (Arunachal Pradesh) on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering, Lowang said: “Cleanliness is a way of living. A change in our mindset is the need of the hour to ensure success of all the initiatives under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. A shift from the lackadaisical attitude towards a more responsive one alone can revolutionise the entire process.”
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“This paradigm shift can happen when the awareness activities percolate to the people at the last mile. When the thought process shifts from individual level to the community level, what is decided by the community is sustainable,” he added.
Terming waste disposal as the major hurdle faced by the waste management system, Lowang called for brainstorming during the two-day workshop and chalking out a way to dispose the wastes effectively. He advocated the use of locally produced eco-friendly items instead of Styrofoam and plastic plates and cups during functions to reduce the plastic burden on the earth.
Touching upon the water scarcity issues of Ziro Valley, he suggested implementing rain water harvesting. “This will also help maintain the ground water table level,” he said. He was all for including students in such programmes in the future. The young brains will be able to assimilate, disseminate and practice better, he felt. Ziro-Hapoli MLA Tage Taki, while advocating sustainability in all the projects, suggested developing a common sewer system for Ziro Hapoli township. “This project will be viable in Ziro and will be sustainable as it would help generate biomass, biogas and the treated water can be used for irrigation purposes,” Taki said.
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Drawing attention to the concrete dustbins built as garbage dumps, which becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes and stray animals, he suggested implementing the idea of hydraulic tractors with trailer designed as dustbins.