Arunachal: Centre Recognises YMCR’s River Cleanup Efforts
The Union Housing Ministry has featured Itanagar-based YMCR in a national publication for its community-driven river cleaning and waste management initiatives.
ITANAGAR- The Youth Mission for Clean River (YMCR), an Itanagar-based environmental organisation, has received national recognition for its efforts in river cleaning and waste management, with the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) featuring its work in a recent publication.
YMCR’s initiatives have been documented in Mountains of Change: Transforming Waste Management in Hilly Areas, a booklet released under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0. The publication compiles case studies and best practices in solid waste management from India’s mountainous regions, with the objective of replicating successful models across similar terrains.
According to the Ministry’s report, YMCR’s work stands out as a citizen-led solution that has proved effective in areas where conventional municipal systems face logistical and geographical challenges. The organisation has collaborated with local bodies, educational institutions and Self-Help Groups to mobilise large numbers of volunteers in addressing Arunachal Pradesh’s waste management issues.
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The booklet highlights several of YMCR’s interventions, including a major cleanup drive along the Yagamso River, where volunteers removed nearly 12 tonnes of waste from a one-kilometre stretch. The report notes that such efforts have contributed to improving river health while drawing public attention to the scale of pollution in urban and semi-urban waterways.
Beyond physical clean-up operations, the publication points to YMCR’s door-to-door information, education and communication (IEC) campaigns on waste segregation as a key component of its strategy. These initiatives aim to address waste generation at the household level, a critical requirement for sustainable waste management in hilly regions.
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The Ministry’s documentation also underscores the organisation’s emphasis on continuous public awareness to foster environmental responsibility. YMCR has linked river conservation to citizens’ right to a clean and healthy environment, invoking constitutional principles related to quality of life.
YMCR has also engaged with the Arunachal Pradesh government on policy measures, advocating for long-term institutional mechanisms such as a dedicated River Protection Act. Chairman of YMCR, Advocate S.D. Loda, has stated that the organisation’s work demonstrates the potential of collective community action, even in the absence of sustained financial support.
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While the YMCR case study forms the primary example of citizen-led river rejuvenation in the booklet, the MoHUA publication also discusses broader waste management challenges and initiatives across Himalayan states. It includes references to waste management efforts in Roing, headquarters of Lower Dibang Valley district, highlighting the town’s geographic vulnerability due to its proximity to flood-prone rivers.
The report further draws comparisons with scientific waste management models implemented in towns such as North Lakhimpur in Assam, suggesting that similar approaches could be adapted for urban local bodies in Arunachal Pradesh.
The recognition, the Ministry notes, reinforces the importance of grassroots environmental initiatives and provides a framework for other hilly and ecologically sensitive regions seeking sustainable waste management solutions.
