Dumping Woes
The dumping site at Sunrise Colony, Burma Camp, continues to haunt Nagaland as the NGT has issued a notice to the DMC for non-compliance with its directive.
- The dumping site at Sunrise Colony, Burma Camp, continues to
haunt Nagaland as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the
Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) for non-compliance with its directive. In
February 2023, the statutory body directed the DMC to relocate the dumping site
due to environmental and public health concerns. It also mandated several
measures, including the construction of a concrete slab for waste processing,
installation of CCTV cameras, and the establishment of an Effluent Treatment
Plant and a Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) by May 2024. Subsequently, the
DMC announced last year that an alternative site had been identified and
submitted to the state government for consideration. However, relocation has
yet to occur, although some remedial measures have been implemented. This
situation not only exposes administrative failures and red tape but also
highlights underlying issues that hinder efforts to address waste management in
the state, particularly in urban areas. The lack of a proper dumping site and
effective waste management systems indicates that all is not well. Both the
waste treatment plant in Kohima, established in 2016, and the Sewage Treatment
Plant (STP) at Shozukhu village in Dimapur, inaugurated in 2023, are reportedly
non-functional, forcing urban local bodies (ULBs) to dump waste in open spaces
without proper segregation, jeopardising public health and contributing to
environmental pollution.
- While local bodies are responsible for waste management, it
is unfair to place the entire blame on them for the current mess. Failures
exist on multiple fronts. For example, the DMC has initiated a door-to-door
garbage collection programme to improve community hygiene and sanitation, yet
many individuals continue to litter household waste at unauthorised sites.
People transport their household waste in vehicles and dump it by the roadside,
polluting the environment and threatening public health. In addition to raising
awareness about the importance of public hygiene, authorities should penalise
those who dispose of garbage on roads and in unauthorised locations. Failure to
address this issue can lead to serious consequences, including environmental
degradation, air pollution, threats to wildlife, flooding, and disease
outbreaks. The DMC must prepare for the early onset of the monsoon, which has
arrived two weeks ahead of schedule this year. A light shower last week
resulted in waterlogging in several areas of Dimapur. We know what lies ahead
if the relevant authorities fail to take preventive measures, such as desilting
drains.
