AIZAWL, Nov 25: The Mizoram
Government has embarked on a
mission to save Chite river that
flows along the eastern part of
Aizawl.
A special committee chaired
by Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla
today discussed action plan for
the mission. The meeting was
attended by Higher Education
Minister R Romawia, Finance
Minister Lalsawta, PWD
Minister Lal Thanzara, Deputy
Speaker R Lalrinawma, Agriculture
Minister K S Thanga, MLA
R Vanlalvena and Save Chite
Executive Committee members.
The Chief Minister said that he
is happy with the initiatives taken
by the Save Chite Committee to
save the river. He said all MLAs
of the Constituencies that the
river passes through will be
involved in the ‘Save Chite
River’ mission.
Lal Thanhawla said due to rapid
urbanisation, Aizawl has lost its
natural beauty and it has turned
into a concrete jungle. “Our rivers,
streams and springs have also
rapidly depleted due to urbanisation,
coupled with environment
degradation”, he said.
“Besides Chite river, several
heritage sites in and around
Aizawl that need to be saved,” he
said and stressed the need for the
collective efforts of the Government and the people to perform
the task.
The meeting underlined the
urgency to enact law to ban
dumping of garbage and soil,
which are the two major causes
of depletion of the river. It also
felt the need to conduct extensive
awareness to tell the people
the present state of the river
which is now on the brink of
extinction.
The meeting informed that
baseline survey has been
conducted by University of
Minnesota, Mississippi Water
Management Agency and
Mizoram University.
In October, experts from
University of Minnesota and
Mississippi Watershed Management
Organisation tested the river
and discussed about the steps to be
taken to restore the river.
The next mass cleaning of the
Chite will be done on November
24. The National Service Scheme
volunteers from all higher
secondary schools in Aizawl will
participate in the drive.
The Chite is the most popular
river in Aizawl. Mizo noted poet
late Rokunga composed many
poems and songs about this river.
The dumping of untreated
sewage into the river is a
problem. A sewage line is being
planned at the Chite river in
collaboration with the Asian
Development Bank (ADB). -Assam Tribune
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