Manipur Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha along with members of state BJP launched a four-day cleanliness drive along Nambul River on Sunday as a part of the observance of Sthapana Diwas.
The drive was launched from Wahengbam Leikai and will continue for the next four days.
BJYM state president N Nimbus told the media that the cleanliness drive is conducted as a part of the observance of Sthapana Diwas under the instruction of Chief Minister N Biren Singh and under the guidance of state BJP president A Sharda Devi.
He said Sthapana Diwas was started from April 6 and will continue till April 14 which is also the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
Nimbus said Nambul river is one of the important rivers of Manipur and the drive is being conducted to keep it clean.
State environment and climate change department, joint director Tourangbam Brajakumar told the media that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has declared Nambul River as one of the polluted rivers among the 9 most polluted rivers of the country.
To clean up the Nambul river, the Central government has launched a project, ‘Rejuvenation and Conservation of Nambul River’, and the department has been taking necessary measures to rejuvenate the river for the last two years, he added.
He said Nambul river has a total length of 26 km and the river passes through eight wards within a distance of around 9 km. Around 72 drains are connected to the river in the city area which is the main factor of pollution, he mentioned.
As a necessary measure to rejuvenate the river, a Sewerage Treatment Plant has already been constructed at Heirangoithong Maibam Leikai, Imphal West, he said. At the treatment plant, the liquid waste that falls into the river will be treated in order to re-use it for agricultural purposes, he added.
However, it will be hard to rejuvenate the river if people settled on the river bank continue to dispose of solid wastes into the river, said Brajakumar.
Earlier, the pollution in Nambul river had reached the level of 24-25 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) but in the last few years the BOD level has been decreasing gradually.
He appealed to the people to extend cooperation while making the Nambul River clean as the government alone cannot make it possible. He further appreciated the state BJYM for cooperating in cleaning up the Nambul River for four days. Personnel of 10th and 11th Indian Reserve Battalion also took part in the cleanliness drive.
