Imphal - ‘City Of Garbage’

A scene of Kwairamband Keithel 

Despite repeated assurances and promises by the State government, hygiene and sanitation of Imphal city has failed to improve once again. Commuters in Khwairamband keithel area fear the outbreak of highly communicable diseases from the mess piled up at the roadsides. Besides, odour from the sanitary sewage overflow of the Sulabh public toilet has ruined the beauty of foot paths in Kwairamband Keithel area as people are disturbed by the unbearable smells. ISTV News Anchor Dhanya writes about the present condition of Imphal city.

      Imphal city is famed for a lot of things, bustling marketplaces, broad main roads and shady tree-lined avenues being some of them. However the city is fast earning a notorious reputation as a city of garbage. An all-too familiar sight in marketplaces and roadsides, garbage is becoming a menace which seems to be getting out of control. One sees rotten and discarded vegetable matter, animal refuse and plastic wastes piled up outside nearly every busy spot in the capital city. One can never be too careful while walking on the footpaths, and pedestrians walking gingerly on the footpaths is a common sight in market places.

Garbage piled up in Kwairamband Keithel

The famed Khwairambandh Keithel or Ima Markets seem to be most affected by garbage accumulation. Though shopping here is a profitable and pleasurable exercise, customers are often put out by the tons of refuse piled up outside the premises and the stench emanating from public toilets. Garbage is not only an eyesore; it is also a storehouse of deadly communicable diseases which could be spread at unbelievable speeds by the millions of flies and other vectors hovering around. 

Though many a cleanup campaign has been initiated with great fanfare by the state govt, the scene hardly, if ever, changes. The Zero Garbage campaign implemented by the IMC last year was one such, which loftily aimed to make Imphal a sparkling clean city. Though it started off with great zeal, it is clearly seen that it has not achieved its aims. NGOs and other orgs too make attempts at cleaning. However a lot remains to be done. The burning question is-who will do it and when?

Blaming the authorities alone is not a great idea, as this problem calls for an equal, if not greater measure of public cooperation with the authorities. It is observed that the vendors at the marketplaces are least bothered by the problem of piled-up garbage and contribute to it substantially. Houses too do not always cooperate in the segregation of degradable wastes from the non-degradable. This mindset needs to change and all concerned need to work hand in hand towards a clean and safe Imphal city. Awareness has to be spread and campaigns involving both the authorities and the public in equal measure worked out. Such measures are the need, not of tomorrow or the day after or the unseen future, but of TODAY, of NOW!