TEZU, May 27: As part of ‘The Himalayan Cleanup 2026’, a Himalayan-wide movement initiated by Zero Waste Himalaya and Integrated Mountain Initiative to address the growing plastic waste crisis in the region, Team Amala in collaboration with AMYAA NGO, organized the Tezu phase through an enthusiastic community-driven environmental initiative.
The two-day programme combined awareness, reflection, cleanup activities, and waste auditing to promote responsible waste management practices and environmental consciousness among citizens.
The first phase of the programme was conducted at Bamboosa Library, where around 40 participants, including representatives from student organizations, welfare societies, teachers, business owners, youth volunteers, and concerned citizens, participated in interactive discussions and awareness sessions on waste management and responsible consumption.
During the session, participants reflected on their waste habits and discussed practical measures such as reducing single-use plastics, promoting waste segregation, carrying reusable water bottles, and adopting environmentally responsible lifestyles. The programme also emphasized that waste management is a shared community responsibility rather than solely a municipal concern.
Volunteers were further trained in waste segregation and waste audit procedures to help identify the composition and sources of waste generated in the locality.
The second phase of the programme involved a cleanup and waste audit exercise conducted near Tezu Nala in the bridge area, where around 60 volunteers, including members of Lohit Green Foundation, Ex-SSB Welfare Society, students, and community members, actively participated in collecting and segregating waste materials.
The waste audit revealed a significant presence of plastic waste in the area, amounting to approximately 67.2 kilograms: 42.4 kilograms of plastic wrappers, 12.8 kilograms of glass bottles and 12 kilograms of PET bottles were collected. Single-use packaged drinking water bottles, chips packets, beverage containers, and instant food packaging were among the most common waste items identified during the drive.
Following the audit exercise, all segregated waste materials were handed over to the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Tezu for recycling and proper resource recovery.
The organizers emphasized that cleanup drives alone cannot solve the waste crisis and highlighted the importance of sustained behavioural change, responsible consumption, and collective community action under the guiding principle of “My Waste, My Responsibility.” (DIPRO)