Cleanliness drive in Dighalipukhuri; 143 kg waste material collected in past 3 weeks

Guwahati, Nov. 26: To restore the beauty of Dighalipukhuri area in the city, a group of citizens came together and adopted a weekly cleaning and pruning drive on Sunday.

According to a press statement, for three consecutive Sundays since November 10, they gathered at the Dighalipukhuripar to clean up the space from 7 am to 10 am, which has been littered by visitors and waste thrown into the compound from outside.

Students, neighbourhood residents, morning walkers, and others joined hands for the initiative.

"The neglect of the historical place and the apathy of the visitors have compromised its aesthetic appeal and threatened its biodiversity. Moreover, the pond has been contaminated by wastewater and plastic, leading to environmental concerns," stated the release.

During the last three weeks, the residents collected over 143 kg of waste materials.

They have already cleaned up one side of the park and will clean the entire park in the coming days.

"We appreciate the support from the Tourism Department for granting us permission and the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), who provided a vehicle to transport the collected waste. It was very encouraging to see and work with assistant commissioner Dipankar Das, GMC (Division 5) participating in the cleaning drive with the citizens on the first Sunday," the release said.

"Our initiative aims to encourage citizens and neighbourhood residents to feel responsible for our public spaces, reclaim our neighbourhoods and maintain cleanliness. We also want to bring awareness among the park visitors about being mindful while throwing wastes," added the release.

The citizens' group is also set to expand such drives to other public spaces in Guwahati. They have invited local residents, students, and government agencies to join the initiative.

- By Staff Reporter