Over 2,000 Kg of Waste Removed from Yagamso River in Itanagar Clean-Up Drive
A youth-led clean-up campaign organised by YMCR and AMMS removes more than two tonnes of waste from the Yagamso River at IG Park, with over 50 participants from Dumporijo Constituency joining the initiative.
ITANAGAR- More than 2,000 kilograms of waste was removed from the Yagamso River near Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar on Thursday during a mass clean-up drive that brought together over 50 young volunteers from Dumporijo Constituency and several local organisations.
The campaign highlighted youth participation in environmental conservation and renewed calls for sustained community action to protect rivers in Arunachal Pradesh’s capital and other parts of the state.
The drive was organised jointly by the Youth Mission for Clean River (YMCR) and the Abralow Memorial Multipurpose Society (AMMS), with support from the Itanagar Smart City Development Corporation Ltd. (ISCDCL).
More than 50 youths from Dumporijo participated under the banner of the Dumporijo Gusar Giteripe Baririjo Maro Students’ Union (DGGBMSU), led by its president, Alexander Tengam Yoka. Members of Dream for United Arunachal also joined the campaign.
The organisers reported that the volunteers collected over two tonnes of waste from the river area, underscoring the scale of the clean-up effort.
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Youth participation at the centre of conservation efforts
Former State Information Commissioner Dr. Gumjum Haider attended the programme and praised the DGGBMSU members for travelling from Dumporijo to Itanagar to participate in the initiative.
He urged the young volunteers to sustain their spirit of volunteerism and contribute to nation-building through community service and environmental protection.
DGGBMSU president Alexander Tengam Yoka thanked YMCR for inviting the organisation to participate and assured that the union would extend its cooperation to future initiatives undertaken by YMCR in Dumporijo.
The participation of students and youth organisations from outside the capital region broadened the campaign’s reach and highlighted the potential for community-led environmental initiatives to extend beyond individual towns.
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Campaign aims to build awareness beyond waste removal
YMCR-AP Vice Chairman Keyom Doni thanked the volunteers and participating organisations, saying that similar collaborative efforts would continue to protect rivers in the capital region.
He said the campaign was intended not only to remove waste but also to sensitise young people from Dumporijo to river conservation, environmental protection and collective responsibility.
Following the clean-up, YMCR felicitated the collaborating organisations in recognition of their participation and support.
The initiative reflects the role that volunteer groups, civil society organisations and public agencies can play in mobilising communities around environmental issues. However, sustained improvements in river health also require regular waste collection, responsible disposal practices and measures to prevent fresh waste from entering waterways.
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Plans to expand clean-up drives
Discussions were held on extending similar campaigns to the Subansiri River and other rivers in Dumporijo Constituency in the near future.
If implemented, the proposed initiatives could broaden community participation in river conservation and encourage local youth groups to take a more active role in protecting water resources.
The Yagamso River drive also highlighted the importance of maintaining cleanliness around public spaces such as Indira Gandhi Park, where environmental degradation can affect both the surrounding landscape and the public’s use of the area.
The organisers’ next challenge will be to sustain volunteer participation and complement periodic clean-up campaigns with longer-term measures that address the sources of river pollution.
