6000 plastic bottles removed from Ithai Barrage
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 06 2025: Around 50 volunteers of Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) banded together to clean plastic waste accumulated at the Ithai Barrage on Friday.

In a statement, DESAM said the cleanliness drive was organised as part of the World Environment Day 2025 observance, under the global theme "Ending Plastic Pollution".

The initiative was also guided by the local slogan "Clean Ithai, Save Manipur River", aiming to raise awareness about environmental protection and river conservation in the region.

Speaking in connection with the cleanliness drive, DESAM president Mayengbam Somorjit Meitei expressed concern over the growing environmental threat posed by plastic pollution in the state.

He noted that the recent incessant rainfall, which led to flooding in some districts, had caused rivers to carry large number of plastic waste downstream, ultimately clogging the Ithai Barrage.

The environmental hazards of plastic waste have now posed a serious concern in the state, he said, referring to the alarming state of the Barrage.

During the clean-up drive, DESAM volunteers recovered around 6,000 plastic bottles from the site, Somorjit informed and stressed that such situations arise due to the lack of awareness about proper disposal and management of plastic waste.

"We often fail to realise that the plastic bottles we use can be effectively recycled and reused.

There is a pressing need for the government to take proactive steps in raising awareness about responsible plastic disposal and recycling," he added.

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