National Green Tribunal raps Dimapur Municipal Council over waste mismanagement

• DIMAPUR — The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) for alleged non-compliance with its earlier directions to address environmental and public health concerns at the municipality’s dumping site located at Sunrise Colony, Burma Camp.
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• The notice was issued by the NGT’s Eastern Zone Bench in Kolkata on April 8, following a complaint that the directions given in a 2023 judgement had not been followed. The tribunal has asked the DMC to respond within four weeks, and the matter will be heard again on July 11.
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• The case was originally filed by Sunrise Colony in 2022, raising concerns about unscientific waste dumping and pollution risks to nearby areas, especially the Dhansiri River.
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• What the NGT ordered in 2023
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• Disposing of the original case on February 3, 2023, the NGT laid out a comprehensive and time-bound plan for overhauling Dimapur’s solid waste management practices, including infrastructure development, waste relocation, and environmental protection.
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• The tribunal directed the DMC to complete all bio-mining and bio-remediation of the existing dumpsite by May 31, 2024, and file an affidavit of compliance by July 1, 2024.
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• The DMC was to submit a formal action plan by April 30, 2023, and begin waste segregation at source within a month if it was not already underway.
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• By May 31, 2023, the DMC was to construct a weighbridge, concrete waste processing slab, and drainage system to prevent contamination.
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• The NGT directed the construction of an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) and a higher-capacity Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) by May 31, 2024, and instructed the Chief Secretary to expedite budget sanctioning.
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• Further, the existing dumpsite was to be fully fenced, especially on the side facing the Dhansiri River, to prevent contamination. Additionally, a green belt and buffer zone were to be created by September 30, 2023, and CCTV cameras were to be installed by May 31, 2023.

Also read: Dimapur Municipal Council identifies new dumping site

• The Nagaland government was also ordered to identify and acquire land for an alternative dumpsite within six months and relocate waste from the current site to the new one within the next six months (i.e., by January 31, 2024).
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• To oversee compliance, the NGT ordered the Chief Secretary of Nagaland to constitute a high-level committee comprising principal secretaries of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, municipal commissioner of Dimapur, member secretary of the Nagaland Pollution Control Board, and any other relevant officials.
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• The committee was instructed to hold quarterly reviews and file a comprehensive affidavit of compliance by July 1, 2024.
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• However, in its latest observation, the NGT noted that “the order of the Tribunal has not been complied with till date.” Accordingly, a notice has now been issued to the DMC, seeking a response within four weeks.
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• The tribunal is expected to review the matter further in its next hearing, scheduled for July 11.

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