History repeats itself almost every year in Dimapur as it takes just a few hours of downpour to wreak havoc. The government, district administration, municipal council, village councils and the citizens, particularly those in flood-prone areas, anticipate this recurring phenomenon, especially during monsoon. Everybody is aware of it. But have the concerned authorities taken any concrete measure to mitigate this chronic issue? Are the citizens forthcoming in addressing the problem they face every year? The answer is a resounding ‘no’. Rainy season has already begun but desilting of drains is far from over. If the concerned authorities can’t even take such short-term mitigating measures, the least it should do before the onset of rainy season, to permanently address the flood issue will be a daunting task. The citizens too are not proactive in solving problems that affect themselves. Besides encroaching on public spaces, people continue to litter garbage literally anywhere, including drains. But the main cause of floods in the city is waterlogging due to clogging of drains by plastic items. Last week’s flood, which submerged many homes and forced few schools in the city to shut, once again exposed the hollowness of monsoon preparedness talks. It clearly tells that no lessons have been learnt from past sufferings.
However, it is pertinent to address the issue to avoid loss of lives, property and infrastructure in the future as it will only get worse owing to rapid urbanisation and global warming. In the context of Dimapur, adopting proper waste management practices among the public will solve the problem to a great extent as flooding here is mainly caused by waterlogging. Until now, convincing the citizens of Dimapur to maintain public hygiene has been like waking up a person pretending to be asleep. But the people need to wake up from their deep slumber and help themselves by keeping their surroundings and public spaces clean. The authorities on its part should take long-term measures including improvement of drainage system, diversion of floodwater, and prohibition of human settlements on water bodies and wetlands. Such measures will not only mitigate floods but also help recharge groundwater and maintain ecological balance. The ever-growing concrete covers and population in urban areas also call for such measures. Flooding in Dimapur is more of a man-made issue than a natural phenomenon, so a coordinated action from the government agencies and the public is necessary in decreasing the risk of flood and the destruction it can cause. History will keep repeating if we fail to break the vicious circle of flooding.