Youths unite to clean Yagamso River on Indigenous People’s Day

 OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: In a dedicated effort to celebrate the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, youths from the vicinity of the capital complex joined hands on Wednesday to restore the Yagamso River’s purity along the Division-4 stretch. It was organized by the Youth Mission for Clean River and the Abralow Memorial Multipurpose Society in partnership with the Friendship Coordination and with the support of Itanagar Smart City Development Corporation. The event drew the community’s attention to the urgent need for river conservation.

Yagamso River Rejuvenation Project (YRRP) coordinator Prem Taba revealed that an astonishing haul of approximately 230 bags of debris were extracted from the river bed during the clean-up endeavour. The recovered waste primarily comprised discarded clothing, blankets, and household plastics, suggesting a deliberate act of pollution.

Taba also brought to light the distressing revelation that numerous toilets and bathrooms were found to be directly discharging waste into the Yagamso River, further aggravating its pollution.

Urging for a collective commitment to maintain the cleanliness of the rivers, Taba emphasized, “By curbing waste generation in households, workplaces, recreational areas, and all walks of life, pollution levels in our rivers can be significantly reduced. The residents of the capital must adopt waste reduction as a fundamental practise to restore the health of our water bodies.”

Speaking about the significance of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, Taba highlighted the pivotal role that indigenous communities play in environmental conservation. “As custodians of delicate freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems, our participation in equitable and sustainable water management is of paramount importance. This clean-up initiative is to serve as a poignant reminder of our duty to safeguard our native water resources,” he added. It is worth mentioning here that traditional indigenous territories encompass a substantial 22 percent of the earth’s land surface, harbouring an astounding 80 percent of the planet’s biodiversity. “On this day, we are reminded of our custodial responsibilities and the imperative to act in defence of our natural heritage,” Taba said.

Assistant Coordinator Keyom Doni said, “For indigenous peoples, nature is an integral part of identity, religion, culture, and community. Our duty to protect it is innate. We regard many facets of the natural world as sacred: plants, animals, water, land, rain, wind, and the seas.”

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