TAWANG, 2 Jul: Tawang DC Namgyal Angmo reiterated the district administration’s commitment towards a cleaner and plastic-free Tawang, informing that the ban on single-use plastics and drinking water bottles below two litres is being strictly enforced across the district.
Chairing a district-level meeting on solid waste management here on Thursday, the DC observed that waste is still largely being dumped without proper treatment, and stressed the urgent need to shift towards scientific and sustainable waste management practices.
She lauded the Jemeithang material recovery facility (MRF) as a shining example of community-driven waste management, and urged all zilla parishad and panchayat leaders to replicate similar initiatives in their respective panchayat blocks by actively involving local communities.
During the meeting, which was attended by Tawang ADC Rinchin Leta, Lungla ADC Tashi Dhondup, ZPMs Tenzin Monpa, Pema Tsering and Sonam Nordzin, representatives from the Indian Army, ITBPand NGOs, students, and material recovery facility (MRF) operators from Jemeithang, Tawang, and Lhou, The Lungla ADC presented the achievements of the community-led waste management initiative in Jemeithang, highlighting how collective participation has transformed waste management practices in the area. He mentioned that for this, the governor of Arunachal Pradesh has commended the then circle officer Deewan Mara with a silver medal and the chief secretary has provided a vehicle for the Jemeithang MRF, while local MLA Tsering Lhamu provided one vehicle for the Lungla MRF and other machineries for both the MRFs. He lauded NGO Further and Beyond for its active involvement with the administration and villagers for successful implementation of waste management in the area.
Jemeithang MRF operator Chimi Yangzom shared an inspiring success story on community-led waste management, demonstrating how active public participation has made Jemeithang a model for sustainable waste management. MRF operators Tashi Wangchu of Lhou and Thinlay of Tawang also shared their experiences, achievements, and the challenges they continue to face in implementing effective waste management systems.
A major highlight of the meeting was the inspiring speeches delivered in the Monpa language by Tashi Yangzom of Government Secondary School, Bomba, and Gom Yutton of Government Higher Secondary School, Jang, winners of the district-level speech competition on waste management held last week. Their presentations on environmental responsibility and sustainable waste management received resounding applause from the gathering.
Kyidphel ZPM Tenzin Monpa and ZPM Mogto Pema Tsering appreciated the outstanding presentations made by the school students, and assured of full cooperation in strengthening waste management efforts within their respective blocks. They also suggested formation of committees at different levels to ensure effective implementation and monitoring of waste management initiatives. (DIPRO)
