ZIRO, 5 Jun: Shifting focus towards collective civic action, the residents here in Lower Subansiri district on Friday met for a gram sabha meeting dedicated entirely to solid waste management (SWM).

The session brought together local citizens, village leaders, administrative heads, and technical experts to protect the valley’s unique ecology through community-led zero-waste strategies.

Addressing the participants, District Planning Officer Hage Tarung emphasised that keeping Ziro clean should not be viewed merely as a government directive but as a shared personal responsibility and a collaborative civic duty for every household.

Assistant Commissioner Radhe Tatung shared a practical roadmap for upcoming village-level sanitation projects. He stressed that these systems can only succeed if local monitoring committees and district departments work hand-in-hand to manage waste segregation and disposal transparently.

Adding to the call for action, Dulley Pai spoke about grassroots conservation. He urged neighbours to take ownership of their surroundings by actively participating in village cleanliness drives and eliminating single-use plastic from daily life.

The floor then opened for discussion. Local residents brought real-world challenges to the table – from fine-tuning garbage collection routes to managing the influx of plastic packaging into the valley.

Administrative officials welcomed the feedback, answering questions directly, and noted down suggestions to adapt policies to the community’s actual needs. (DIPRO)