DIMAPUR — The member Secretary of Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB) and state nodal officer of National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), K Hukato Chishi, on Tuesday inaugurated a water fountain at traffic intersection in Midland Colony, Dimapur.
Speaking at the inaugural function, Chishi stated that Nagaland got the NCAP project not because the state is doing well but was implemented as Dimapur and Kohima do not meet the air quality standard set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
He expressed gratitude to the Government of India under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for giving them the opportunity to improve the air quality in the state of Nagaland particularly in the two the districts of Dimapur and Kohima.
He added that water fountain is not a huge structure but it is going to play a significant role as the presence of water in the surrounding areas would create moisture air and suppress the air particles. Chishi stated that it is not only a beautification of the area but would have health impact on them as well.
While delivering technical report of the water fountain, the executive engineer of PHED Urban Division, Dimapur, Bendangtola Walling, shared that the new water fountain was constructed by Urban Division Dimapur, PHED, with a total amount of INR 10 lakh.
Walling mentioned that the project was funded by National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), a program launched by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the year 2019, to improve air quality at city, regional and national level.
She added that the main objective of construction of water fountain on roadside under NCAP primarily was to minimise/ reduce dust pollution created on the roadside in addition to beautification of the city.
Walling further stated that operation and maintenance would involve periodic refilling/ cleaning of the water and added that the operational cost of the pump set installed would be borne by the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC).
As decided by the Dimapur District National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) Implementation Committee on February 1, 2024, the operation and maintenance of the facility would be borne by Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC).
The programme was chaired by V Mughalu Sumi, SDO of PHED (Maintenance), Urban Division, Dimapur, and concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Moatemsu Walling, junior engineer of PHED, Urban Division, Dimapur.