VILLAGERS TO BE SENSITISED ON ZERO WASTE LIFESTYLE IN A SUSTAINED MANNER
Mopungchuket village under Mokokchung district has been selected to implement a “zero waste pilot project”, a part of The Himalayan Cleanup which is an annual flagship programme of Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI) conducted across the Himalayan states of India and anchored by Zero Waste Himalaya (ZWH).
The zero waste pilots of IMI and ZWH is supported by the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA).
In a press release, The Greensight Project (TGP), Mopungchuket, informed that the eight-month long pilot project would be implemented by TGP under the title “zero waste Mopungchuket” with resource support provided by IMI for which a memorandum on “Terms of Reference” was formalised on August 2 last.
Responding to a call for proposals announced by IMI and ZWH earlier this year, TGP submitted its proposal and was one of the five proposals selected for the pilots from all over the Indian Himalayan states.
It may be mentioned that Mopungchuket village is regarded as one of the cleanest villages in Nagaland and has in recent times emerged as the frontrunner in the state’s campaign against plastic pollution.
The Greensight Project was launched in the year 2016 and has been facilitating all cleanliness drives in the village in association with the village level organisations and stakeholders since its inception.
All activities of TGP circle around its twin core principles of instilling behavioural change towards cleanliness and advocating sustainable practices for preservation of natural environment among the villagers.
The Greensight Project was launched by Mopungchuket village students’ organisation (MALT), which is a mandated apex body of the village established in the year 1932.
The principal focus of Zero Waste Mopungchuket pilot project would be on sensitisation campaigns and onsite interventions to encourage behavioural change among the villagers to adapt zero waste lifestyle in a sustained manner.
Some of the objectives of the pilot according to the Terms of Reference would include sensitisation through IEC resources, a campaign to “make at home” promoting local unpacked food items, provision of locally sourced dustbins, streamlining ongoing waste management, strategic partnership with village authority, exploring feasible option for providing alternatives to single use plastic items, etc.