Undeterred by heavy rains in the wee hours just before the start of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) on Saturday, Dimapurians came out in large numbers, armed with brooms, shovels, daos etc. Saturday’s Swaach Bharat Mission was the fourth in Dimapur. October 1 was chosen for the campaign instead of October 2,2016 since it happened to be a Sunday.
Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) collaborated the programme in a joint effort with the active participation of hundreds of volunteers from 18 civil societies of Dimapur. Another group comprising of schools, colleges and church group also held the programme on the same day. Other educational institutions such as Bethesda H.S.S, Unity College, Tetso College etc conducted Swaach Bharat in their respective institute premises.
The volunteers swept streets, removed weeds and cleared blocked drains after getting to work at their assembled places at around 5 a.m. Saturday. Apart from civil societies, various individuals members of wards and colony councils also volunteered to participate in cleaning their respective colonies and adjoining areas. Personnel of Fire and Emergency Services personnel also cleaned up places with water jets. Volunteers of Helpers’ Club and Dimapur Municipal Council collected garbage.
After the mass social work under the aegis of Naga Council concluded, the Sikh Samaj of Dimapur provided breakfast to the participants. This was followed by brief sum-up programme organised by the Naga Council in the hall.
Speaking at the function, DC, Dimapur Kesonyu Yhome reminded participants that Swaach Bharat was not a one-time event but a continuous effort for inculcating a personal habit of cleanliness. He said a dirty town or city reflected the mentality of its citizens and so urged upon Dimapurians to be aware of their responsibility. Yhome congratulated Naga Council and all participants for their noble deed and expressed the hope that the same spirit will continue in the coming days. Also speaking on the occasion, Brand Ambassador for Dimapur district Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Geoffrey Yaden reminded keeping Dimapur clean was difficult due to problems of littering and garbage disposal. Thus, he said, the objective of Swachh Bharat is to create mass awareness on hygiene and sanitation and consequent action from each individual.
He also informed that Nagaland Governor P.B.Acharya desired that the Dimapur railway station be adopted under Swachh Bharat and rope in patrons for helping to maintain a clean environment.
Geoffrey also informed that the Bengali Hindu Samaj have decided to make ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiran’ as this year’s Durga Puja theme. There will be competitions for the best and cleanest puja pandal premises besides poster and other competitions.
With festive season just round the corner, he expressed the hope that littering and careless dumping of garbage will be a thing of the past so as to present a clean and healthy Dimapur to tourists and visitors. He hoped that the people of the cosmopolitan city will carry forward the same spirit to make Dimapur district the cleanest in the state.
NCD president Bangerloba offered vote of thanks on behalf of NCD to all participants especially the Sikh Samaj for volunteering to host breakfast and also presenting a sword and saffron scarf each to the guests. The programme was chaired by NCD vice president, K. Gokheto Chophy.