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The area behind the Dimapur town hall in Dimapur.[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Aug. 31: Residents of Kohima and Dimapur have expressed the need for proper drainage systems and landfill areas. Improperly discarded and unattended waste pose a serious threat to the environment and health of the public. Citizens and authorities in concern are asked to take necessary measures to fight the menace of improper waste disposal.
These concerns were the highlight of the second and final day of a two-day seminar on urban solid waste management that was conducted on Saturday at the Dimapur Government College.
During the event, resource persons from various fields gave presentations including research, and pitched ideas.
Resource persons Nilesh Kumar Prasad and Dhruba Kumar Paul from St. John College in Dimapur said in their presentation that besides insufficient drainage system in Dimapur, dumping solid waste and constructing over drainages lead to water clogging and water pollution.
They were informed during research that the drainages are not being cleaned. This leads to blockages, the gathering was told.
“Everyone has knowledge about waste but there is no commitment,” said Niksungla, chairman of nongovernmental organisation Living for Environment in her presentation. She said Dimapur generates 100 metric tons of waste per day. She emphasised on sensitisation of the public as the need of the hour. Solution to waste should start from the grassroots-level, she said.
Benjonkumba Imchen, assistant professor at Dimapur Government College—a volunteer partner of Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC)—gave a presentation about the “Better Dimapur” mission that was launched on June 1 2017. It aims at a cleaner, greener and healthier Dimapur with the help of people’s participation.
Imchen said they have successfully undertaken plantations along road dividers besides transforming garbage dumping areas into beautiful spots by modifying the areas.
Landowners, spitting, and stolen batteries
But there is a problem: People are spitting on the walls and solar light batteries on the streets are being stolen, he said.
“Land-holding individuals are blocking the way of DMC because the department cannot remove the building that has already been constructed,” he said in reply when queried about the inputs of the DMC in addressing the drainage system.
“A mega INR 50 crore project for scientific landfill at Lerie colony will be fully functional by November 2019,” said K Hukato Swu, deputy director for Higher Education. He talked about new projects of the Kohima Municipal Council (KMC).
Among the many new projects of the KMC that are in progress, he said they are planning to introduce a ‘wheelie bin’ fitted with tracking chips and similar devices to monitor trucks carrying waste.
Capital town Kohima produces 90 metric tons of waste per day. It has 82 waste collection points. The revenue is managed by the KMC through taxation and support from citizens, Swu said. He emphasised on how the media’s role is significant in inspiring the community but ‘which they fail to do so.’
The need to managing and controlling waste was spoken of by several resource persons on the first day of the two-day seminar, organised by Research committee, Dimapur Government College in collaboration with the Dimapur Municipal Council and sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR).
Chief conservator of Forest for Nagaland Supongnukshi said the government of Nagaland is aiming at achieving sustainable waste management across the state by 2030.
