Dimapur Urban Council Chairman Federation raises concerns over eviction drives, ILP verification and civic issues

DIMAPUR — The Dimapur Urban Council Chairman Federation (DUCCF) on Thursday raised a series of concerns ranging from ongoing eviction drives carried out by the Assam government to gaps in Inner Line Permit (ILP) verification procedures and civic issues within Dimapur.

The federation addressed the media at the residence of its president, Zasivikho Zakiesato, in Naga Colony.

Zakiesato said the federation had no objection to eviction drives conducted by the Assam government but cautioned that authorities must ensure that those displaced are not allowed to set up refugee or relief centres in neighbouring states, particularly Nagaland. He questioned whether a proper survey and verification of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants (IBIs) had been conducted before the drives were launched, and what measures were being taken to prevent cross-border displacement into Dimapur district.

Citing eviction drives in Delhi (2023–2025), Chandigarh (2025), Mumbai’s Aarey area and Ahmedabad, he said such operations without relief and rehabilitation “violate human rights and erode public confidence in governance.”

On ILP implementation in Dimapur, Zakiesato said the absence of guarantor options on the state’s ILP portal was a concern and appealed to the government to involve local councils in the verification process. He added that instead of relying on guarantors’ phone numbers, authorities should require the registration number of indigenous inhabitant certificates.

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DUCCF vice president Wojamo Yanthan said government processes such as ILP and IBI verification were unlikely to succeed without active involvement of local councils. Zakiesato added that while the Nagaland government was making sincere efforts, the federation urged the police to take strict action and send back any IBIs found in the state, reiterating DUCCF’s zero-tolerance stance.

Vice president Vikheto Chisho appreciated the initiatives taken by the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) CEO but called for improved maintenance of parking spaces from Clock Tower to Popular Point and the stretch near NST Colony–Chishi Complex ahead of the festive season. He also urged the DMC to repair the damaged portion along Bata Charali and Bata Line, noting that one side is well maintained for parking while the other remains in poor condition.

On the DUCCF’s RTI applications to the Urban Development Department, vice president Tongzuk Pongen said the federation had received a reply to its first RTI filed in 2024 but was still awaiting a response to the second. He suggested that all projects under the DMC should have signboards displaying contractor details.

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