The Meghalaya Institute of Natural Resources (MINR) of the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) in collaboration with Young Indians, Meghalaya Chapter, observed the Earth Day on Friday by organizing a cleaning drive of the Umshing River where students from various schools and colleges, and local residents of the area besides Heads of Local Durbar participated with great enthusiasm and zeal.
Before flagging off the event, the Chief Guest of the event, Secretary Planning, Government of Meghalaya and Executive Director of MBDA, Dr.BDR Tiwari commended the MINR team and the Young Indians Meghalaya chapter for embarking on this noble initiative which is the need of the hour. Dr. Tiwari highlighted the importance of keeping a check on the increasing litter and waste to bring the city and the state back to the beauty and cleanliness it is known for. He added that solid and liquid waste management is very important to address the problems of pollution while stressing on the need to protect our environment not just for our own sake but for the generations to come.
Commenting on the Cleaning Drive, The Officer on Special Duty of MINR, L Shabong said that water is an important and precious resource. “It is everyone’s duty to save, conserve and protect our water sources like springs, streams, rivers which sustain the base flow of our river system,” he said while expressing his hope that this exercise will create awareness and sensitized the stakeholders both upstream and downstream about the need of keeping streams and rivers clean by keeping a check on both solid and liquid waste management.
He further reiterated that this would be the starting point for more sustainable initiatives that MBDA has been advocating for towards the conservation and preservation of natural resources.
Speaking on the occasion, Co Chairman of the young Indian Meghalaya Chapter, Vijay Byrsat commended on the coming together of these two organizations to start something positive. He spoke on the importance on keeping the river Umshing clean since it is the source of drinking water for many people in the area. After the dignitaries addressed the crowd of students and local residents, Dr.BDR Tiwari flagged off the event by cleaning the river along with the students, the local residents, representatives of MINR-MBDA and team members from Young Indian.