While commencing BJP’s PR and Municipal polls campaign on Thursday, Chief Minister Pema Khandu has assured that efforts will be intensified to make the state capital more liveable. Viewing the assurance beyond the current context of elections, it must be said it’s a responsibility which needs a round the clock perusal all throughout the year. It must be remembered by all stakeholders that Itanagar is carrying the tag of being one of the 10 most-dirtiest cities in the country as per the latest Swachh Survekshan report, the much-accepted national-level document prepared annually to gauge the cleanliness quotient of the country’s urban habitations. For the capital city of the largest state in the NE, it’s a shame that needs to be reversed as fast as possible.

Tackling the issue of dirtiness of the ICR has thus far remained a steady headache cutting across regimes. Improvements, if any, have only been transient and for reasons whatsoever, the problem of garbage has never made the denizens’ life comfortable. It was only a few days back the Governor asked the IMC Commissioner and the team of engineers to wake up fast and he has been quite correct to suggest inclusion of long-term garbage and waste management plans. Taking a macro-level view and from a general assessment of what’s going on in other cities of the country and world, it can be said that a city becomes clean when the ‘traffic’ flows both ways simultaneously. While the role of civic authorities are always paramount in keeping a city clean, much also depends on the role played by citizens. The same theory is applicable for the state capital and only blaming of the authorities will never lead to the desired quotient of cleanliness. If the IMC needs to be proactive, the denizens ought to be more responsible.

If the problem of dirt and garbage is a 365-day issue, the recent spike in crimes relating to thefts and similar sorts in the ICR is a worrisome fact. Capital police have been successful in cracking the cases for which they must be thanked. However, their job can be made much easier if a few additions in terms of infra such as CCTVs and street lights are ensured. Crimes can be reduced to a major extent if CCTVs are installed not only at crime-prone locations, but all across the capital. Few weeks back, displaying a fine example of citizens’ responsibility, a Sector Committee took to fund sourcing to finance the purchase of this device, which actually is the duty of the administration to provide.

If there are no hiccups, within two years from now, Itanagar will be finding a place in the civil aviation map of the country. By then, the city must be made more clean and liveable.