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Members of a local sanitation initiative called the Team Clean Dimapur clear waste left by Dimapur shopkeepers, at night, in Dimapur. (EM Images)[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Aug. 5: Dimapur is a town of young people who are enthusiastic and responsible to bring transformation in the city and as the largest city in Nagaland which is a home to diverse culture and also recognised as 'mini India', every Dimapur citizen has an important role to play in keeping the city clean. And with the same enthusiasm, a team who recognise themselves as Team Clean Dimapur (TCD) in the city are endeavouring at the same purpose.
Seeing the city dull and dirty, TCD a vital component of "A better Dimapur" project is a conglomeration of social media group who has decided to make the city clean. Recently they have taken the role of Dimapur night watch to ensure that citizens wake up to clean surroundings.
Without any financial assistance, TCD have been keeping a strict vigil at night along the stretch of Nyamo Lotha Road on a regular basis to check on shopkeepers and residents from throwing garbage and home wastes on the streets.
"Rather than disposing the wastes at the proper designated places/dustbins installed by the TCD and funded by Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC), shopkeepers and those residing in that areas dump the wastes without any concern", said a member of TCD Ardo Pfukha.
" An order was published in the local newspapers that if anybody found littering around Nyamo Lotha Road will be imposed a fine of INR 500 and INR 1000 respectively, for the first and second offence. And for the third offence, an amount of INR 5000 will be imposed and their trade licence will remain cancelled. Team Clean Dimapur also went about distributing the order from shop to shop across the stretch issued by DMC," he told to
Eastern Mirror.
TCD believes that change in the mindset is important for a change in the society as a whole. It aims to sensitise and inculcate the sense of belongingness and responsibility among each individual for a better, greener and cleaner Dimapur.
Also the team believes that change in a city like Dimapur with people from diverse backgrounds cannot be brought overnight and was a gradual process but it is not impossible either. If each single business establishment can maintain cleanliness outside its own shop, then Dimapur can see a total face-lift in a short span of time, shared Pfukha on behalf of the enthusiastic team.
It was on July 9 that TCD took the duty of night watch and the vigil starts at around 6:30 pm and they keep a watch till 10 pm or more. 'Basically, it's to keep an eye and catch the habitual offenders and warn them of stern actions if found violating in future,' Pfukha said.
Of the few surveys done so far TCD observed that most trashes, wastes and garbage are contributed from the shops shared Pfukha of his experiences during the period of the vigil.
Another TCD member Zack T Ezung giving further details of the team's experiences said the shopkeepers have no sense of belongingness and their day of transaction ends by dumping their garbage outside their shops even if a dustbin was lying in front of them. Their logic of "we are paying tax to the govt. to clean up the mess" was also a concern that needs to get rid of, lamented Ezung.
The team took up this challenge to keep a vigil and instil in them a sense of belongingness. Most of the shops are closed by 6 pm and it was difficult for us to accuse which shops are contributing to wastes in the city. However we continued the routine consecutively till those shopkeepers realises their responsibility and their contribution for a clean city, Ezung asserted.
"For them (shopkeepers) Dimapur is a place to earn and do business without a sense of belongingness. But it is our collective responsibility to make them realise and cultivate a habit of making use of the dustbins available".
The shopkeepers around New Market are cooperating and coming forward in their drive in throwing the wastes responsibly , said Ezung while the team are optimistic that the shopkeepers-who are the major contributor of wastes defying even penalty orders will be responsible with their contribution for a clean Dimapur.
The team have installed around 80-90 dustbins at Deluxe point-NL road-Dhobinalla-City Tower in Dimapur and two waste trailer's in station at NST colony and New Market. However, the team has their fair share of disappointment as they experience unruly individuals who destroy the dustbins installed and they had repaired around 11 dustbins.
Even on a rainy night, the team can been seen keeping vigil, taking the role of cleaner without any hesitation and doing their part in clearing the wastes making sure that the waste are in their designated dustbins and waste trailer.
With humble beginnings of distributing portable dustbins around the commercial centre, the team’s Clean Dimapur campaign has captured the imagination of a younger demographic and has many cheering them on. From conducting cleanliness and plantation drives and fixing upgraded dustbins along public places, the city has definitely been given a facelift. This spirited team has become a vital component of the ‘Better Dimapur’ banner of the DMC.
