Itanagar, Mar 4: In a push for a cleaner and more organized city, Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) mayor Tamme Phassang on Tuesday led a surprise inspection and cleanliness drive across wards 1 to 12 under the corporation.
Accompanied by IMC commissioner Kego Jilen, officials and corporators, the mayor began the inspection at 6 AM to assess sanitation efforts, monitor staff performance, and evaluate the operational efficiency of the IMC.
During the inspection, Phassang stressed the need for cleanliness and issued a strict directive requiring all shops to have dustbins. He warned that fines would be imposed on businesses found without one, especially if garbage was found nearby.
Additionally, he emphasized that festival grounds must be cleaned after events, cautioning that violations of sanitation norms would attract penalties under National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines.
He assured that such surprise inspections would be conducted regularly to ensure compliance.
Calling for public participation, the mayor urged citizens to take responsibility for maintaining a clean and green capital. He also called on the National Highways Authority to contribute to highway cleanliness and highlighted specific areas needing attention.
Seeking better enforcement, he requested the cooperation of the traffic police cell in implementing sanitation regulations. He also warned against the unauthorized posting of bills, billboards, and hoardings, stating that violators would face penalties.
To streamline waste management, the IMC has fixed garbage collection hours from 5 to 10 AM in the morning and from 2 PM onward in the afternoon.
The mayor cautioned that those found disposing of garbage outside these designated hours would be fined. He also expressed concern over the widespread habit of throwing waste from moving vehicles, both private and commercial, urging citizens to adopt a more responsible approach.
Acknowledging challenges such as manpower and equipment shortages, Phassang reassured that chief minister Pema Khandu and Urban Local Bodies (ULB) minister Balo Raja have pledged full support to strengthen municipal resources.
He concluded by emphasizing that with collective efforts from the government and the public, a cleaner and healthier Itanagar can be achieved.