Itanagar: Volunteers removed more than 5,200 kg of garbage from the Yagamso river during a clean-up drive at IG Park here on Saturday as part of preparations for the 80th Independence Day.The drive was spearheaded by the Youth Mission for Clean River (YMCR) and the Abralow Memorial Multipurpose Society, with support from the Itanagar Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ISCDCL). The clean-up cleared choked channels and helped restore the river’s natural flow.A waste audit conducted after the exercise found that single-use items formed a major portion of the garbage polluting the water body. Disposable plates and glasses constituted the bulk of the waste at around 9,000 pieces, followed by packaging materials such as cement, rice and online delivery bags (8,500 pieces), along with 8,000 pieces of plastic waste.Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) Ward no. 10 corporator Yukar Yaro praised the youth-led initiative and expressed concerns over rampant littering, appealing to residents to stop treating natural water sources as dumping zones.YMCR chairperson SD Loda and vice chairperson Keyom Doni called on the city’s youth to carry the message of environmental empathy home, emphasising that lasting ecological restoration requires a sustained change in community mindset.
