Our Reporter
Dimapur, April 2 (EMN): Even as the mercury is rising in Dimapur, the newly formed 'Dimapur Task Force' for beautification of Dimapur under the initiatives of DMC, which is supervised by Environmentalist Ronika Miachieo and Chief Manager of Waste Management Amos Ezung, was busy planting flowers in the road divider between Clock Tower and Tragopan Police Point on Saturday.
They said the team had been carrying out beautification work at various locations in Dimapur over the past 21 days.
Ezung, who is also involved in voluntary service on sanitation work, including health and hygiene awareness campaigns, said that it’s not a new initiative with the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) having started it in 2016, but this time, they are trying to involve the community by visiting shops door-to-door and requesting them to maintain hygiene in their vicinity and take responsibility for a clean environment.
He said that they had requested the shopkeeper, vendors and business people to water the plants once a day, and the response has been good so far.
He also thanked the traffic police on duty for easing the beautification work.
The euphorbia and bougainvillea flowers that were planted along the Vikheshe Sumi road stretch on Saturday were said to be donated by the president of Punjabi Community in the city.
Miachieo informed that the team is trying to make the people, especially shoppers keepers understand the endeavour towards a better environment besides renovating broken dividers and planting flowers.
The recipient of Bendangnungsang Longkumer and Er Khriesavizo Metha Memorial Award 2020 for her contribution towards a clean environment said that civic sense and household waste segregation were very important for a hygienic environment, while urging the public to join the initiative.
She also urged the people to avoid using single-use plastic by carrying their own bags, stop littering waste and work together to keep the city clean so that everyone can breathe fresh air.
Mhonjan Lotha, founder of ‘Square Feet’ (landscaping and interior designing firm), informed that the team is working on transforming dumping area into a parkway/pathway.
He said that they were able to convert two dumping areas -- one at Burma camp and the other at West Yard colony – in parkways in just 20 days. However, he lamented that people dump waste at the area even when the work was in progress, forcing the team to clear it first before resuming work every morning.
He also said that there were instances of people continuing to throw garbage even after beautifying the area as well as flowers plants being found missing and decorative words damaged.
While expressing the need to create awareness on cleanliness, Lotha said that throwing of garbage has decreased significantly over the years.
He said that they would continue beautify the city.