LAKHIMPUR, Assam: Under the Government of India’s flagship initiative, Swachh Bharat Mission, North Lakhimpur and North Lakhimpur Municipal Board (NLMB) have become the first town and the first urban-level body in Assam to treat 70,000 metric tons of legacy waste.
According to the civic body, it was only possible with the implementation of an effective project called ‘Rehabilitation of Legacy Waste and Regular Generating Waste in North Lakhimpur Municipal Board.’ This project managed to clean over 16 bighas of dumping ground land and helped to protect the town from further pollution.
The district administration and the NLMB had a major problem with the pile of waste in the landfill of North Lakhimpur town located in ward number 14. It contaminated the surrounding locality, including the Somdiri river, a tributary of the River Subansiri and other neighbouring waterbodies. The disposal mechanism at the dumping site was poorly managed which resulted in local residents and various frontal organisations repeatedly demanding the district administration to relocate the dumping site to a secure location. Ranjit Kakati, the Swachh Bharat Mission’s Lakhimpur District Brand Ambassador, also urged the district administration to take action to manage the legacy waste stored in the dumping ground.