Manipur Dy. CM Nemcha Leads Cleanliness Drive in Kangpokpi on Gandhi Jayanti, Calls for ‘Clean and Tidy’ Town

Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen on Friday personally led a cleanliness drive at Nute Kailhang, popularly known as Mother’s Market, here on Gandhi Jayanti and urged citizens to make cleanliness a collective responsibility for a healthier and more dignified Kangpokpi.

Kipgen participated in the ‘Seva Mera Yogdan’ observance under the BJP’s Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, 2026, organised by the BJP Kangpokpi Mandal, Sadar Hills, at Nute Kailhang.

The month-long Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, being observed from September 17 to October 17, marks Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s completion of 25 years in public service.

The Deputy Chief Minister, instead of merely attending the programme, joined party leaders, workers, local representatives and women vendors in physically cleaning the market premises. She swept the floor and cleared accumulated debris as part of the cleanliness initiative.

BJP Sadar Hills president Thangjamang Kipgen, BJP Kangpokpi Mandal president Lunseh Kipgen, party leader Paokam Haokip and other party workers and karyakartas were present during the programme.

James Doujapao Haokip, MCS, Chief Executive Officer of the Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council, members of the Kangpokpi Town Committee and representatives of the Kangpokpi Women Welfare Organisation also participated in the drive.

During her visit, Kipgen inspected both the exterior and interior of Nute Kailhang and took stock of the overall condition of the market, including the grievances and concerns of vendors. She also inspected the public toilet located near the market.

The Deputy Chief Minister expressed dissatisfaction over the condition and maintenance of both the market and the public toilet and directed the concerned authorities to immediately streamline their management and ensure proper upkeep.

She instructed the authorities to complete renovation and improvement works at Nute Kailhang and the public toilet by October 13 and assured that adequate dustbins would be provided to facilitate proper disposal of waste and help maintain cleanliness at the market.

The Kangpokpi Women Welfare Organisation, a local women’s body under the Kangpokpi Town Committee, has been entrusted with the responsibility of caretaking and maintaining Nute Kailhang.

Kipgen said she would make another surprise inspection after the renovation works and warned that failure to maintain cleanliness and proper management could result in the caretaker responsibility being withdrawn from the KTC and KWWO and handed back to the District Council.

She also directed the SHADC CEO to put in place stringent measures, rules and regulations for vendors, shoppers and caretakers to ensure cleanliness, proper maintenance and orderly management of Nute Kailhang and the adjoining public toilet.

The CEO and local bodies were further instructed to organise a massive cleanliness-awareness programme among vendors and other stakeholders at the market.

Emphasising the importance of cleanliness on Gandhi Jayanti, Kipgen said cleanliness should not be treated merely as a government or municipal responsibility but as a shared civic duty of every citizen.

“Cleanliness is Godliness,” she said, calling upon the people of Kangpokpi to take ownership of their surroundings and make cleanliness a daily habit rather than an activity confined to special occasions.

She said a clean public space reflects not only the discipline and civic responsibility of its people but also their respect for one another, particularly those who depend on public markets for their livelihood.

The Deputy Chief Minister urged residents, traders, vendors, women’s organisations, local bodies and young people to work together to keep Kangpokpi clean, neat and tidy.

She also stressed that the spirit of seva, or selfless service, should translate into tangible action at the grassroots, with citizens contributing in their own capacity to the cleanliness and upkeep of public spaces.

The cleanliness drive was held as part of the Gandhi Jayanti observance and the BJP’s Seva Mera Yogdan programme under the wider Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, which seeks to mark Prime Minister Modi’s 25-year public-service journey through public-participation and service-oriented activities.