By Meera Banerjee 
Roing, August 9: A simple roadside meal has turned into a flashpoint for civic responsibility in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Dibang Valley. A video, now circulating widely on social media, captures a municipal officer in Roing confronting a group of tourists from Assam for leaving behind disposable plates and cups along a highway stretch. The footage, originally shared by Jimu Mele on Instagram, shows the officer calmly but firmly asking the visitors to clean up, which they eventually did.
Confrontation Sparks Wider Awareness Drive
According to The Indian Express, the incident took place earlier this week but exploded online only today, pulling in thousands of reactions within hours. The tone of the exchanges on Instagram, Facebook, and X was strikingly consistent: a shared frustration at the casual littering of public spaces. Many users hailed the officer’s approach as an example of “firm yet respectful” intervention.
Within a day, the municipal council announced the “Roing is not your Dustbin” campaign. Officials called upon local youth clubs, trekking groups, and school volunteers to spread awareness among visitors. The message is deliberately blunt, aimed at cutting through the politeness that often dilutes conversations around waste management. “We can’t afford to be gentle with garbage anymore,” one municipal worker told The Logical Indian.
Mixed Reactions Across State Borders
Interestingly enough, the outrage did not devolve into an inter-state blame game. While some Assamese voices online initially bristled at the public shaming, several others admitted that civic sense during travel is still a work in progress. The Economic Times quoted one Guwahati-based entrepreneur saying, “When I trek, I carry all waste back to my car. It’s not about rules, it’s about respect for where you are.”
That said, a few comments highlighted the irony that many tourist spots in Assam face similar issues from both local and out-of-state visitors. The thread quickly shifted from regional defensiveness to calls for a nationwide campaign on litter-free tourism.
From Viral Moment To Civic Movement
What might have been a one-day social media flash is now showing signs of becoming a longer campaign. Youth groups in Roing have begun planning monthly clean-up drives along tourist-heavy routes. Posters and banners are being printed in both English and Assamese to drive home the point that public spaces are shared spaces.
The campaign is also expected to tie in with ongoing efforts under “Green Roing”, a citizen-led initiative that received praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann Ki Baat address earlier this year. That recognition had already put Roing on the map for grassroots environmental work. Now, the viral video has given it an unplanned but potent boost.
Why This Moment Resonates
Environmental activists note that littering incidents are not rare, but this one resonated because it was addressed on the spot and documented without aggression. The confrontation happened in broad daylight, without police escalation, and ended with the offenders cleaning up themselves. In a digital era used to outrage cycles, this visual of corrective action offered something rare — a resolution.
There is also the location itself. Roing sits in the foothills of the Mishmi Hills, where rivers and forests are central to the community’s identity. Locals see roadside litter not just as an eyesore but as an insult to the region’s natural heritage. This emotional weight perhaps explains the urgency behind the “not your dustbin” slogan.
Beyond Roing: The Larger Tourism Challenge
For what it’s worth, Roing’s municipal leaders are aware that the problem will not vanish with a few viral posts. Waste management in popular destinations across Arunachal remains patchy, with disposal facilities often limited to town centers. Tourists travelling by road tend to eat in open spaces with no bins in sight.
As per Times of India, the state’s success stories like the “Green Roing” drive rely heavily on volunteers and community willpower, not just government machinery. This model works in tight-knit towns but may be harder to replicate along remote highways where visitor turnover is high and monitoring is low.
Still, the momentum from this week’s episode has officials considering stricter enforcement. Possible measures include on-the-spot fines for littering, mandatory waste bags for tour operators, and collaborations with influencers to promote responsible travel.
The Road Ahead
Whether “Roing is not your Dustbin” becomes a sustained movement or fades into the next viral trend will depend on what follows in the coming months. If civic pride can be cultivated as quickly as online outrage, this might be remembered not as an embarrassing moment for the tourists involved but as the start of a new culture of travel etiquette in the Northeast.
For now, Roing’s message is clear: leave only footprints, take only memories and absolutely take your garbage with you.
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- Meera Banerjeehttps://hindustanherald.in/authors/meera/
