SMART city is a basic need for the people of the capital. It is needed for the inhabitants of the city and the state and more so for travellers as the capital is the mirror of the state. General neatness of the city, systematic and orderly arrangement of residential sites, commercial, government departments, educational institutions, warehousing and storage, recreational and other areas of basic essentialities are the pre-requisite for a city. Foremost attention is to be paid to drainage system all along the roads and other congested inhabitated areas. As of now drainage system in Kohima is quite inadequate and poor. Modern facilities are the need of the hour whether in the capital or other districts for comfort and convenience of the people. Good road connectivity with other states as well as internal well-knit road connectivity will provide a sense of self-satisfaction and pride to the citizens.
Along with the facilities and modernities, self responsibility is of prime importance. Without individuals and citizens being responsible of the surrounding environment and facilities made available around them; without the sense to guard and protect public property, the whole exercise would be pointless. Every one should have a sense of belonging; that it is his/her duty to take care of things instead of indiscriminately destroying expensive public property and other beautification, which for now is usually the case.
It may be observed that Nagas in general have very poor civic sense. There is also a destructive mindset prevalent among some of us. Many seem to derive some sort of perverse pleasure from destroying public property or things that do not belong to themselves.
This attitude must be altered as it is attitude that plays the most important role in transforming any society. There are many cases of public utilities being stolen from offices, defacement of buildings and office rooms with chewing of paan and tamul, not to speak of the nasty toilet places with their heavy stench. In Kohima and Dimapur, market places or roadside urine sheds are full of human excreta.
Nobody is taking any responsibility for cleanliness either in offices or in public places which is the need of the hour. In offices, some officers and team should be fixed for taking responsibility of general cleanliness. While Municipal Council and Trade & Commerce organisations are the right organisations to take care of cleanliness in commercial areas and other public spaces within municipal control, every colony organisation has to take it upon themselves to take care of cleanliness of their respective colonies.
Many women groups volunteer themselves decorating roadsides and intersections in the city with beautiful flowers but some people even go to the extent of stealing these flowers. Some play constructive role for the society while others are very disappointing. Nagas ought to learn public responsiblity irrespective of age. Be kind to all travellers or visitors, whether domestic or foreign, and love and care for all property as your own.
Dr.V.Thingo