Silchar Municipal Board (SMB) and District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) along with other line departments jointly organised a meeting with all leading NGOs of Cachar District at the conference hall of Silchar Municipal Board here on Thursday. The meeting was presided over by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DDMA and Executive Officer, Silchar Municipal Board, Jessica Lalsim.

In the meeting, a threadbare discussion was held regarding the issues of urban flood mitigation, door-to-door garbage collection, and scientific waste management in all wards of Silchar town. A total of around 68 NGOs participated in the meeting. A threadbare discussion took place focusing on the fact that every year, inhabitants of Silchar town suffers a lot due to urban flood. It was discussed that the unplanned growth of the town, mismanaged drainage channels, unscientific waste management and lack of consciousness among the local public has cumulatively led to the problem.

It was also pointed out that unplanned growth and encroachment over the town’s wetlands and the filling up of silt in the wetlands resulted in artificial flooding without access to proper drainage. The poor drainage system, overcrowding, and lack of coordination between different government departments during the construction of houses have also contributed to the problem of stagnant water. It was also highlighted that though the door-to-door waste collection is also in progress, it is not receiving cent percent support from the general public. It was observed that a holistic approach needs to be adopted to make the town garbage-free and also to overcome the problem of urban flood mitigation.

It was pointed out that with a view to generating a large extent of awareness amongst the general public at the community level, NGOs need to play a pivotal role. In the meeting, all the NGOs were requested to work for hand in hand with District Administration, Cachar, Silchar Municipal Board, and District Disaster Management Authority to sort out the issues at the earliest.

Moreover, each of these NGOs was asked to adopt at least a single ward from the 28 wards under Silchar Municipal Board and take the responsibility of looking after all issues of that area, such as door to door garbage collection, clogged drains, unscientific waste management, absence of proper drainage channels, etc. They were also asked to work as torchbearers at the community level to make Silchar town clean, garbage-free, and free from urban floods.

Sharing her reaction, Jessica Rose Lalsim expressed gratitude to the NGOs for their positive response. “I am thankful to the NGOs for their response. This is an auspicious sign that our goal to make Silchar flood-free and garbage-free can be a reality,” she said. Lalsim also highlighted the importance of keeping drains and sewerage channels clean to ensure a smooth flow of water. She urged the NGOs to adopt a municipal ward of their choice and ensure proper garbage collection and management. The meeting concluded with the emphasis on the fact that the entire aspect should be undertaken with the ‘Change in behaviour’ approach, where effort and involvement should be there from each and every corner.

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