An awareness programme and sanitation drive under the SBI Sanjeevani Clinic on Wheels, an initiative of the Nature SBI Foundation Nagaland under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, was held at Pongren Village on February 26.
The programme was chaired by Pikhumla, Staff Nurse, Nature SBI Foundation, Kiphire. The event began with an invocation prayer led by the pastor of Pongren Village Baptist Church, seeking blessings for the health and well-being of the people and the success of the initiative.
The chairman of the Pongren Village Council delivered the welcome address, warmly receiving the visiting team and expressing gratitude to Nature SBI Foundation Nagaland for organising the health camp and related programmes. He said the team had been visiting the village regularly and that their services had significantly benefited the local community. He also thanked the team for providing useful materials to villagers.
As part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan initiative to promote cleanliness and hygiene, materials were distributed to villagers by Irothe T Sangtam, President of the Longmatra Area Students’ Union.
A special awareness session on the importance of waste management was delivered by Longtili C Sangtam, Project Lead, Nature SBI Foundation Nagaland. He explained that proper waste management involves the safe collection, handling and disposal of waste to maintain a clean and healthy environment. He stressed the need to segregate waste into wet, dry and hazardous categories, encouraged the use of dustbins and advised against dumping waste in open areas.
He also spoke on the importance of the 3Rs principle of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, noting that organic waste could be converted into compost for farming. He cautioned that plastic waste is harmful to animals and the environment and should be minimised. Proper waste management, he said, helps prevent diseases and safeguards public health, urging villagers to take collective responsibility for maintaining clean homes and surroundings to build a healthy and pleasant community.