Niyang Pertin

Boleng, May 4: In the verdant folds of Arunachal Pradesh, Siang district has quietly scripted a revolution—one rooted in cleanliness, community spirit, and a vision for sustainable transformation. As part of the national ‘Swachhta Hi Seva 2024’ campaign, Siang, under the inspiring leadership of deputy commissioner P N Thungon embarked on a mission as audacious as it was intimate, to develop at least one clean model village (CMV) in each of its nine administrative circles, as testaments to what collective participation and unwavering purpose can build.

The genesis of change in a young district

Established only in 2015, Siang is one of Arunachal’s youngest districts, home to the Adi tribe, abundant rivers, and rich forests. Yet, it faces challenges of limited infrastructure, scarce employment opportunities, and untapped tourism potential, mostly unheard of beyond the hills.

It was against this backdrop that the deputy commissioner launched the campaign. Twelve villages were selected, each granted ?1 lakh from the DC and supplemented by an additional Rs.1 lakh from the respective ADCs, with complete administrative autonomy.

This financial seeding and empowerment became the launchpad for a massive, community-led movement. The first real spark was lit when the district administration sent “Swachhta Captains” from each selected village to Mawlynnong, Asia’s cleanest village in Meghalaya.

The delegates experienced firsthand Mawlynnong’s pervasive culture of cleanliness, its warm hospitality, and how these elements created a thriving, community-driven tourism economy. Armed with practical ideas and renewed motivation, these Swachhta Captains returned to their villages, ready to act as catalysts for change.

Pagak: The torchbearer sets the pace

The second spark came from within Pagak village in Kaying circle earned the distinction of becoming the district’s first officially inaugurated CMV on December 21, 2024. Under the dedicated leadership of EAC Kaying, Pooza Sonam, and supported by initiatives like ‘Project 37’, Pagak introduced compost pits, five LED lights, household dustbins, a “Hawa Ghar”, and an “I Love Pagak” installation, among many other components. Pagak’s success set a powerful precedent, proving that the CMV vision was achievable.

A personal mandate: Three villages, one vision

As the CO of Pangin, with the additional charge of CO for Kebang circle, I was entrusted with overseeing CMV transformation in three distinct villages: Pangin (encompassing Pangin Moruk and Pangin Moli), Lokpeng, and Kebang Solè.

Today, with Pangin CMV inaugurated and Kebang Solè nearing completion, it’s tempting to trace a neat, linear roadmap, but real transformation is rarely so tidy. It’s shaped by constant learning, human complexities, and shared effort.

Each village brought its own socio-cultural nuances, distinct challenges, and latent strengths. Pangin has over 100 households, Lokpeng around 50, and Kebang Solè about 30. A one-size-fits-all template wouldn’t work. Our approach had to be adaptive and deeply localized.

The inauguration of clean model village Pangin on April 27, 2025, by minister Ojing Tasing, alongside MLA Oken Tayeng, celebrated months of effort, but the true story lies in the intricate journey leading to that moment.

Community-led change: From guidelines to ownership

With the help of Karik Yirang, the dedicated BMM of Pangin, ArSRLM, the journey began with detailed transect walks to understand each village’s real needs. What followed was not a copy-paste model but a customized strategy.

The next few months saw village meetings, countless late-night coordination calls, and above all, a constant process of active listening.

Transformation had to be driven, owned, and cherished by the community. Village development committees (VDCs) became the movement’s operational heart, comprising gaon burahs, panchayat leaders, youth, and SHG members. Sub-committees ensured efficient execution and accountability.

In Pangin, it was the energetic village secretary Tadi Panor and gram panchayat chairpersons Oyini Dupak and Lek Taki. In Kebang Solè, leadership came from gam burahs Kombo Tagi and Tajong Darang, and GPC Omoti Padung. In Lokpeng, the Lokpeng Welfare Society, led by Talo Pajing, took charge. This flexible, trust-based approach proved far more effective than imposing external templates.

Simultaneously, the administration issued hygiene guidelines, including control of stray animals. In Pangin and Lokpeng, pigsties near public paths were voluntarily relocated. In Kebang Solè, where pigs roamed freely, change came only after patient dialogue. By mid-January 2025, the village had collaboratively constructed enclosed pigpens, setting an example of self-regulated hygiene.

Sustainability and convergence

The CMV initiative’s success hinged not on a single effort, but on convergence, departments joining forces with resources, expertise, and willpower.

From ArSRLM’s grassroots engagement to the veterinary department’s vaccination drives, RWD’s infrastructural support, PHED’s grey water campaigns, and MGNREGA’s drain construction funds, to the sports department installing an open-air Gym in Pangin, every department became a co-author of the story.

A standout moment was when the GPCs of Pangin Moruk and Pangin Moli, both Swachhta Captains, inspired by their Mawlynnong visit, proposed installing iron dustbins and decorative lights. Approved by gram sabhas and funded by the panchayat’s SOR, these grassroots initiatives left a lasting impact.

Partnerships extended beyond government. One call brought Jimu Mele, AE, UD & Housing, Roing and co-founder of Emudu Trekkers to Kebang Solè and Pangin. His experience with Anini’s 7 lakes trek lit a spark in the villages. Today, he’s embraced as one of their own.

Perhaps the most profound shift was in perception: government schemes were no longer seen as handouts, but as strategic investments in a shared future. This transformation of mindset was the movement’s quietest yet most powerful success.

The community: The unwavering heart of the movement

This was never meant to be a fleeting cleanliness drive. It was designed as a catalyst for a deeper cultural shift. What followed was a wave of change powered by the community’s hands and hearts: avenue plantations, revival of the Ruteng Stream, and the creation of an artificial pond. Villagers showcased Adi craftsmanship through intricate bamboo fencing, bins, traditional ‘Hawa Ghars’, bridges, treehouses, and shaded seating.

Public spaces bloomed with streetlights, benches, open gyms, and the Pangin viewpoint, made possible by the generous land donation of elder Taja Tali. Even essential maintenance, like repainting gates and dredging PMGSY drains, was handled collectively.

Through the ‘Donate a Plant for a Greener Future’ campaign, saplings came from across the state, but it was the villagers who audited every rupee, proving that transparency thrives under local ownership.

The road ahead: From clean villages to tourism hubs

What began as a cleanliness campaign now aims to turn Siang’s rural communities into vibrant tourism hubs. With the tourism department’s support, efforts are underway to create a responsible rural tourism circuit that boosts the local economy and community agency.

Addressing the shortage of skilled manpower, the district administration, backed by the skill development department, NIMAS, and leaders Ojing Tasing and Talem Taboh, has sent two batches of over 50 youth for adventure travel guide training in West Kameng. As of writing, the first batch is back, ready to shape Siang’s tourism future.

Additionally, collaborations with local brands aim to ensure fair trade for local products, with souvenir hubs envisioned to celebrate Siang’s cultural identity.

The goal is ambitious to turn clean model villages into symbols of progress, sustainability, and local pride.

The real triumph: Ownership and hope

When I walk through Pangin, Lokpeng, or Kebang Solè now, I no longer feel like an officer overseeing a project. I feel like a witness to something deeply human and quietly revolutionary.

The change is not in banners but in the way a child picks up a wrapper, in how elders talk about “before” and “after,” and in the newfound pride villagers feel for their home.

DC Thungon’s vision lit the first flame. The departments gave it shape. But the fire, the soul of this movement, came from the people. Those who gave their hands, their land, their hearts, and now guard something larger than themselves.

This journey has humbled me. Real development doesn’t arrive with fanfare—it unfolds slowly, in conversations, in shared meals, in patient conflict resolution, and above all, in trust earned over time.

If we’ve built anything lasting here, it’s not just clean villages, it’s a community that believes in its own power to build, to lead, and to dream. That, to me, is the true model we should all aspire to.

(The writer is the circle officer of Panging, in Siang district)