Itanagar: Youths unite to clean Yagamso River on Indigenous People’s Day
The recovered waste primarily comprised discarded clothing, blankets, and household plastics, suggesting a deliberate act of pollution.
ITANAGAR- In a dedicated effort to celebrate the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, youths from the vicinity of the capital complex joined hands on Wednesday to restore the Yagamso River’s purity along the Division-4 stretch.
Organized by the Youth Mission for Clean River and the Abralow Memorial Multipurpose Society, in partnership with the Friendship Coordination and with the support of the Itanagar Smart City Development Corporation, the event drew the community’s attention to the urgent need for river conservation.
World Nature Conservation Day: Cleanliness drive held at the Itanagar Gompa
Yagamso River Rejuvenation Project (YRRP) Coordinator, Prem Taba, revealed that an astonishing haul of approximately 230 bags of debris was extracted from the riverbed during the clean-up endeavor. The recovered waste primarily comprised discarded clothing, blankets, and household plastics, suggesting a deliberate act of pollution.
Taba also brought to light a distressing revelation – numerous toilets and bathrooms were found to be directly discharging waste into the Yagamso River, further aggravating its pollution.
Urging a collective commitment to maintain the cleanliness of the rivers, Taba emphasized, “By curbing waste generation in households, workplaces, recreational areas, and all walks of life, pollution levels in our rivers can be significantly reduced. The residents of the capital must adopt waste reduction as a fundamental practice to restore the health of our water bodies.”
Speaking about the significance of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, Taba highlighted the pivotal role that indigenous communities play in environmental conservation. As custodians of delicate freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems, our participation in equitable and sustainable water management is of paramount importance. This clean-up initiative is to serve as a poignant reminder of our duty to safeguard our native water resources, he added.
It is worth noting that traditional Indigenous territories encompass a substantial 22% of the Earth’s land surface, harboring an astounding 80% of the planet’s biodiversity. On this day, we are reminded of our custodial responsibilities and the imperative to act in defense of our natural heritage, he said.
Itanagar: Youths clean Yagamso river to commemorate World Forest Day
Supporting this, Assistant Coordinator Keyom Doni stated, “For Indigenous Peoples, nature is an integral part of identity, religion, culture, and community. Our duty to protect it is innate. We regard many facets of the natural world as sacred – plants, animals, water, land, rain, wind, and the seas.”
Furthermore, we are committed to sustaining our mission of raising awareness about environmental cleanliness and safety. We have scheduled a series of art and literary events in collaboration with the Science Centre, Itanagar, set to take place on August 13, involving local school students, he informed further.
