Page 70 - Mann ki Baat June 2022 - English

Save Chite Lui Mission: Rejuvenating the

Dying River

Chite Lui, a beautiful
river in Aizawl,
Mizoram, had turned
into a heap of dirt
and garbage due
to years of neglect.
What brought the
river back to life was
the collective effort
of local authorities,
NGOs and most
importantly, local
people, in the form
of Save Chite Lui
Mission, formally
started in the
year 2017. Several
initiatives have been taken under
achievement. The Act provides the
the mission, from cleaning of
prevention and control of water
plastic waste from the river to
pollution in Chite Lui, including
building the state's first plastic
road made from the collected the river bank on both sides at
waste. 50 metre from the boundary of
the river. The Chite Lui Prevention
Talking to Doordarshan team, Shri
and Control of Water Pollution
Rochamliana, General Secretary,
Save Chite Lui Mission, told more Rules 2020 followed the Act.
about the initiative and their Another thing worth mentioning
achievements: is the plastic road, made from the
polythene waste gathered from
The first thing that we did was
Chite Lui, between Reiek main
creating awareness, educating
the masses and sensitizing the junction and the tourist resort.
stakeholder. In collaboration with It is amazing to see people from all
the National Service Scheme
walks of life, from different areas
(NSS), we undertook several
and localities coming together
mass cleaning programs of the
at the Chite river, trying their
river. Many NGOs and religious
best for not just saving the river
organisations also came forward
and lent a helping hand for the but innovatively using the waste
mission. Legislation of the Chite Lui to build something useful thus
(Prevention and Control of Water contributing to the progress of the
Pollution) Act, 2018 has been an area.

66