EMN
Dimapur, June 10
The infamous habit of denizens of Kohima opening their respective septic tank, particularly during rain, are a violation of both personal and public environmental rights, a an awareness campaign on legal services and rights has said.
A campaign to spread awareness about legal services and rights has been launched. Advocate Kezhokhoto Savi launched the campaign during a one-day seminar held in the state college of teacher education in capital town Kohima.
Savi addressed the 100 B.Ed teaching-trainees in the seminar organized by the SCERT. He gave a discourse on consumer rights and related laws including the role of the Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation of Nagaland (ACAUT).
More than 100 sets of files containing study material produced by Nagaland State Legal Services Authority were distributed during the seminar. He highlighted various rights under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 including the Food Safety and Standards Act. The acts ensure the consumer right, the right to safety.
‘Right to environment is another consumer right. Just the next day the world environment day was celebrated in almost all the district headquarters including the state capital, the terrible and unbearable septic tank smell tortured the citizens of Kohima in several colonies as the so called few selfish and uncivilized resident opened their septic tanks during the peak hour taking advantage of rainfall on 6th June and the same is continuing everyday with this rainy season,’ he said.
“Don’t treat Kohima town worse than a slum area. Why it is so? Are you not aware of availability of cess pool vehicles in the town? Moreover you have no right to violate others’ rights as right to environment is one of the consumer / citizens rights. Are you not ashamed of yourself being so cruel to your neighbor, colony citizens and to Kohima citizens as a whole?” Savi chided during the seminar.
The speaker blamed the lack of civic sense among the citizens. He said: “Why the state government particularly the district administration and KMC remain silent? Let us wake up that the time has come for us to develop a sense of urgent need to protect our environment as well as a sense of hope for its future. The resilience of the community of life and the well-being of humanity depend upon preserving a healthy (environment) with all its ecological system, a rich variety of plants and animal, fertile soil, pure waters, and clean air.”
Savi said “plenty of damage” has been done to our land, and more is being inflicted every day. “The cumulative threat to life as we know it is real, and our children and grandchildren stand to inherit the consequences.”
Savi also highlighted the activities of the ACAUT of Nagaland as a peoples’ movement. He challenged the gathering of teachers to step forward if they claim to be “learned and concerned citizens” and join in the democratically right and worthy cause against corruption and economic injustices.
He cited an example of corruption and unauthorized conduct. A youth organization of a colony in Kohima town is collecting so-called “parking tax” without any hesitation in issuing receipt, he said.
Article 265 of the Constitution of India clearly provides “No tax shall be levied except by authority of law,” he reminded.
“The danger is if we allowed one colony youth organization to comfortably collect parking tax in their colony jurisdiction very soon other colony youth organization follow the same illegality,” he said.
Asenla Longkumer also talked on the topic of civic sense, while Wekhrope gave a discourse on the activities of Nagaland State Legal Services Authority and how to apply for legal aid.
