Nambul River, Kongba River get murkier rather than recuperate
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 23 2020: The fate of Nambul River and Kongba River remains uncertain with the degradation level speeding at an alarming rate and prolonged lockdown has had no positive effect on the two rivers.

Notably, the conditions of some major rivers in the country including Ganga River and Yamuna River have reportedly improved quite significantly during the lockdown.

As found during a random survey conducted by this reporter during the past couple of days, the condition of Nambul River and Kongba River was appalling with the rivers filled with heaps of garbage and waste materials.

Incidentally, Government authorities resumed cleaning Nambul River and its banks from today at Keishampat after a long gap.

Nambul River, Kongba River get murkier rather than recuperate

The water of Nambul River is stagnant and its colour has turned black as the water current has been blocked by accumulation of solid wastes and trashes which are entangled in between thick masses of plants growing over the water surface.

Emanation of foul smell from the decayed garbage and waste materials which are scattered and piled at the banks on both sides of the river churn the stomachs of the passers-by.

This is the case all along the stretches of the river in Imphal and Greater Imphal area except the stretch from Khwairamband area till Keishampat.

Some locals from Heirangoithong said that their local leaders and club can no longer prevent the public from contaminating the river.

"Local leaders and volunteers of the local club have put up notice boards and bamboo fence on the river bank many times in order to prevent contamination of Nambul River.

However, such attempts of the local club and local leaders had turned futile as unknown persons continue to throw garbage and trashes at the river bank or into the river," the locals added.

Some locals at Nambul Mapal range said that pollution at Nambul River cannot be lessened until Government appoints some local authorities and work collectively with them.

They said that the appointed local authorities and Government should constantly impose heavy fines and take up stringent action against those who pollute Nambul River.

They also decried the undue delay in implementing the Nambul River Rejuvenation Project and added that the project has only worked on papers and no tangible action can be seen on the ground.

On the other hand, a few locals who complained that the municipality's waste collectors and private dustbin lorries do not come frequently/regularly in their area maintained that the absence of dustbins and appropriate places for storing garbage has led many locals to throw their home wastes at the banks and the river.

At the same time, the condition of Kongba River too has been growing from bad to worse.

When this reporter examined Kongba River at several locations, the river was found fully covered with water hyacinth and other unwanted plants.

Furthermore, masses of waste materials and garbage were seen piled up on the banks of the river at various places and as such, the river no longer looks like a river.

Locals in Kongba area said that the Kongba River looks like a river only when it is flooded during rainy season.

Saying that the bed of Kongba River has become very shallow nowadays, some people decried that the Government has completely ignored the condition of the river although many Ministers, including the Chief Minister have repeatedly claimed about rejuvenating rivers and protecting environment on many occasions.

Meanwhile, no analytical data/information related to pollution level in the State during the lockdown can be accessed from Manipur Pollution Control Board (MPCB) although it claimed that an analysis has been done during the lockdown.