The Plastic Fighters of Heirok: How Manipur’s Youths Are Cleaning for A Healthier Future

Their first mission, clean the polluted Heirok-Wangjing River that flows through the village.

By Moirangthem Nganbarel

On this World Environment Day, celebrated under the theme “Putting an End to Plastic Pollution,” Northeast Live brings you an inspiring story from Manipur’s Heirok village, where a group of young people are driving change at the grassroots level.

Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks filled with plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes every single day. An estimated 19–23 million tonnes of plastic waste leak into aquatic ecosystems annually, damaging habitats, disrupting natural processes, and threatening food security, health, and livelihoods.

India, too, is grappling with the crisis. The country generates approximately 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste annually but recycles only a fraction. Despite governance frameworks and policies, challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, lack of source segregation, poor enforcement of bans, and under-resourced Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) continue to hinder effective waste management.

Yet, amidst these challenges, a small but determined group of youths from Heirok village in Thoubal district, Manipur has shown how local action can lead to impactful change.

The Eco-Network Manipur: A Youth-Led Green Movement
In 2022, a group of around 20 young people formed Eco-Network Manipur, a community-driven initiative aimed at tackling plastic pollution in Heirok. Their first mission, clean the polluted Heirok-Wangjing River that flows through the village.

Every Sunday, the group gathered to collect plastic waste from the river. Over time, the movement gained momentum, attracting support from local self-help groups, local clubs, and residents. By February 2024, the group began collaborating with a plastic recycling plant to process the waste they collected.

Speaking exclusively to Northeast Live, Sinthangamba Laishram, president of Eco-Network Manipur, said the group currently collects at least 800 kg of plastic waste from Heirok village each month. Since February, they’ve sent over 13,000 kg of plastic waste for recycling.

“Our goal is to clean the entire river by the end of this year and make our village plastic-free,” Sinthangamba said. “We started with just 20 volunteers, and now we have over 30 dedicated members. The change is visible, there’s significantly less plastic in the river now.”

To further discourage plastic dumping, the group launched a door-to-door collection drive every Saturday. They collect waste from households and clean the river every Sunday. Recently, they’re planning to involved school students in their Saturday drives, aiming to instill environmental values in the next generation.

The plastic waste collected is sold to recycling farms, and the money earned is reinvested in local self-help groups, fostering both economic and environmental sustainability.

“People are more aware now,” Sinthangamba shared. “We’ve held several street-corner meetings to educate residents about the dangers of plastic pollution. The mindset is changing.”

While the efforts of Eco-Network Manipur are commendable, Sinthangamba stressed the need for government intervention and support. He appealed for assistance to promote non-plastic and biodegradable alternatives and urged the state government to set up more recycling plants and proper waste dumping sites.

“Many small groups across the state are beginning to manufacture alternatives to plastic. They need support to grow and scale up. This is not just the government’s responsibility. Everyone has a role to play,” he added.

The story of Eco-Network Manipur proves that community-driven efforts, even those that start small, can lead to substantial environmental change. As the world looks for sustainable solutions to the plastic crisis, this youth-led initiative from a small village in Manipur offers both hope and a roadmap for grassroots environmental action.

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